Bulletin Column

These reports are from the previous four issues of the Daily Bulletin in Colfax. They are reprinted here for the benefit of Gazette readers who reside outside of Colfax. Some accounts have been updated.

REPORT ARREST STRUGGLE

A Garfield man who was charged with resisting arrest Monday night after he was stopped on the Endicott-St. John Road, was taken to Whitman Hospital where he was treated for a head injury sustained when he reportedly butted the back seat cage of a county patrol car. The suspect, Michael E. Haver, 38, was later booked into the county jail on probable charges of third degree assault, resisting arrest, harassment and driving under the influence.

According to the report, the arrest started when Deputy Jim Pelissier observed the driver of a Dodge Durango driving erratically on the Endicott-St. John Road. The deputy said the Durango drove up behind his patrol car at a high rate of speed. The deputy said he allowed the Durango to go past him and it continued at a high rate of speed.

After he was stopped, the suspect agreed to undergo a sobriety test and the deputy decided to arrest him for driving under the influence.

The report said he resisted being placed in the back of the patrol car and struggled with Deputy Pelissier and Sgt. Chris Chapman who had arrived on the scene to assist. The suspect was taken to the ground and continued to resist.

Eventually a third deputy and a Washington State Trooper also arrived on the scene.

After Haver was placed in the patrol car he reportedly banged his head on the back seat cage and sustained a minor head wound that led to his transport by ambulance to the hospital.

FOUR MC TOURS DUE HERE

Four groups of motorcycle riders are expected to roll though Colfax Friday and Saturday as part of the Pacific Northwest Hog Rally. Chief Rick McNannay, who has been working with rally coordinators, said motorcycle riders are expected to arrive here at 10 a.m. and noon on Friday and again on Saturday. He added that each group could contain 50 or more of the cycle riders who are headed southbound to Lewiston and Clarkston.

The groups are expected to make a fueling stop at the Busch CFN pumps at the north end of town. The chief said the groups slated to arrive at noon on each of the days are expected to make a luncheon stop in town. Riders in that group are expected to travel south to Palouse and then cross over to Colfax via Highway 272. Arrangements have been made to park the motorcycles along the Main Street side of the Rosauer’s parking lot.

Colfax Police will assist in traffic control to get the large group of riders off and onto the highway during their Colfax stop.

McNannay said they are not sure how many riders will be in each group, but noted the rally had an enrollment cap of 200 per group.

CHANNEL CLEANUP: 3-4 WEEKS

The required state permit for removal of rocks and debris from the S. Fork of the Palouse River Channel can be expected in three to four weeks, Mayor Todd Vanek reported to the city council Monday night. Mayor Vanek also reported the state Department of Transportation has agreed to cover the costs of the cleanup project in the river. He said the sum was expected to be $20,000.

Again the mayor pointed out the agreement calls for neither the city nor the DOT to be held responsible for the runoff flooding which dropped the debris into the channel.

Also, the mayor noted the Army Corps of Engineers conducted their annual inspection of the channel. He added the corps dropped its standing requirement to have brush and other growth removed from the channel where it grows at the ends of the concrete sections. Corps policy now allows for the brush to remain.

FIRE HITS

N. OF DUSTY

Fire crews from most stations in the central part of the county responded late Sunday morning to a wind-driven blaze which cut a swath west to east north of Dusty. The fire started along the Luft Road, headed northeast across the Walter Scholz Road and was finally halted close to Young Road. It was stopped in the north end at Union Flat Creek.

The fire was believed to have started by wiring to the well at the Chris and Tammy Roberts place which is located about a half mile north of Highway 26 on the east side of Luft Road.

The fire destroyed a granary at the Roberts place and at one time threatened the Roberts house which is located off Luft Road.

Volunteer firefighter Joe Schluneger said the strong wind Sunday drove the fire in a cross-country mode without allowing time to widen out like a normal crop fire.

It consumed CRP land on the Steve Moore ranch, swept into a canola field farmed by Moore and then into wheat fields on the Steve Appel and Greg Young ranches.

The fire was believed to have been started shortly after 10 a.m. Janet Luft said a motorist, who is a volunteer firefighter in Walla Walla, stopped at their place, located on Luft Road north of the Roberts place, and reported the fire.

LaCrosse volunteers were first on the scene and assistance came from as many as 12 other departments around the county. Dusty, Endicott, Wilcox, Winona and Onecho crews responded from the immediate area and district 11 crews from Colfax, Steptoe and Albion were also on the scene. Crews rolled from as far away as Colton-Uniontown and Oakesdale-Farmington.

As many as five farm tractors were also known to be in action.

The fire battle continued until late afternoon when one of the flare-ups happened back at the Roberts place where the residence was threatened.

RETURNS TO

PAUL’S PLACE.

Michael Breitenberg, 28, Colfax, was allowed release from jail Friday to return to Paul’s Place where he allegedly made threats July 11 that led to his arrest. Breitenberg has been charged with harassment involving threats to kill in the July 11 incident which reportedly began when he was unable to purchase cigarettes.

His arraignment Friday was delayed with the possibility of a voluntary commitment for treatment which could bring a long-term resolution to his problems.

Paul’s Place agreed to allow him to return there and his alleged victim told the court she did not object. Breitenberg was advised to control himself to avoid making another return to jail.

His arraignment was rescheduled for Aug. 22.

THOMAS

SENTENCED

TO 7 MONTHS

Daniel Thomas, 30, Lamont, was sentenced to seven months in jail Friday morning on a charge of illegal possession of a firearm. Thomas pleaded guilty to the charge June 6 as part of a plea bargain agreement. He had previously been scheduled for a trial after initially pleading not guilty.

Prosecutor Denis Tracy told the court Thomas had two prior convictions, one for second degree burglary and one for harassment. He said deputies found Thomas in possession of the pistol last January.

Thomas was allowed until Aug. 18 to report to jail and begin serving his sentence. Defense Attorney Ronnie Rae of Spokane told the court Thomas needed time to relocate his family after their house was destroyed by fire.

Two other charges, one of possessing another firearm, a .22 rifle, and one of harassment were dismissed as part of the plea bargain. The harassment charge involved the other party who reportedly was involved in an argument which led to deputies responding to the scene in the Lamont area. Thomas and the alleged victim, Travis Knapp, were farm employees on the farm owned by the late Francis Pool of Lamont.

TO INSTALL

TRUCK SCALE

Spokane Seed has applied for a city building permit to install a truck scale at its location on N. Clay in Colfax. The size of the scale was listed at 93 x 11-feet. Estimated cost is $80,000.

SCHAUB ALLOWED RELEASE

Michael Schaub, who has been jailed here since June 4, was allowed release on his own recognizance Friday morning after a hearing in superior court. Schaub had been jailed for failing to pay court ordered costs and fees, including restitution, on six different criminal cases in superior court. The fees are due on cases going back to 2005.

Schaub July 18 presented the court with a tally for more than 267 hours of work he has done while in custody over the past six weeks. He told the court he was brought to the jail here after spending time in jail since last March on a shoplifting case in Spokane County.

Schaub said he planned to reside in LaCrosse after his release. He was instructed to file a payment plan with the court clerk.

HAY BALE

LOAD LOOSE

Colfax Police July 17 morning responded to a report of hay bales on a northbound truck that appeared to be loose and moving on the truck trailer. The truck was reported to be northbound at about 11:30 a.m. from the Prune Orchard area on Highway 195.

Chief Rick McNannay was able to spot the truck and stop it about 12 minutes later at the Busch Distributing self service gas station at the north end of Colfax. A loader was called to realign the load and secure it.

RIVER RUN AROUND DEBRIS

Colfax crews July 15 used the city water truck and sweeper to clean off one side of the S. Palouse River channel in advance of Saturday’s run during the Concrete River Festival. Carpet rolls for the river slide were delivered to the side lawn at Chase Bank. The rolls were placed on the slanted river bank and water sprayed on top so race entrants could slide down the bank to the bottom of the channel.

The race course in the channel was restricted this year because rocks and debris from last winter’s runoff flood can not be cleared from the channel until the city is granted a permit.

Runners were able to use the full width of the channel until the runoff culvert outlet behind the Almota Elevator office. They had to stay on the west side to avoid rocks and debris. Sandbags placed in front of the Island Street bridge supports diverted water under the Island and Courthouse bridge to the east side so entrants could remain on the west side.

After entrants cleared the Main Street bridge in front of the courthouse, they crossed to the east (Rosauer’s) side of the channel where a narrow lane was swept next to the channel wall. Water in the channel slows down and covers most of the width of the channel under the North Main bridge.

SENTENCE ORDER FOR MARGERISON

A July 16 order of commitment for David Scott Margerison, 31, Pasco resident who was sentenced July 9 to 171 months in prison on two rape convictions, credited him with 251 days already spent in jail here since his arrest last November in Clarkston.

The commitment order was filed along with a finding of fact on the July 9 sentencing when Margerison had to be escorted out of the courtroom after a series of outbursts. Margerison declined to return to the courtroom after a cooling off period and the hearing concluded without him.

The July 16 finding, which included precedent citations of other cases, concluded the absence of Margerison at the end of the sentencing session was valid. The court ruled his conduct was dangerous, extreme, aggravated, intentional and threatening to other people in the courtroom.

Judge David Frazier noted Margerison’s conduct at earlier hearings leading up to the sentencing had been normal. The defendant at earlier hearings made few comments during open court sessions.

The judge, during the hearings in the Margerison case, said he had observed the victim react with fear on four different occasions.

The July 16 finding quoted several obscene outbursts made by Margerison. It noted twice he reacted to officers who were ordered to remove him from the courtroom. He told the officers to “get your ———- hands off me” when they first moved to remove him and later leaned in a threatening manner when they moved again to remove him.

The court finding also noted Margerison twice stood up in handcuffs and turned to the spectator area where the victim of the first rape, which happened last October, was waiting to give her statement to the court. In one of the threats, according to the finding, Magerison, who had threatened the victim with a pistol because he believed she was an informant in a Lewiston drug case, implied that the subsequent rape gave her “a second chance.”

The finding noted when Magerison was being escorted out of the courtroom he commented “Give me my 171. Peace, I’m out.”

Magerison attended the July 16 session without incident.