PEDESTRIAN FATAL CRASHES
2 pedestrians hit, killed on SE Division Street in Portland
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Authorities say two pedestrians have been struck and killed by motorists in separate incidents in Portland.
Portland police said in a news release the first crash happened at 6:55 p.m. Wednesday on SE Division Street near 156th Avenue. Police say despite efforts to save him, the pedestrian died at the scene.
Police say the second incident occurred just after 9 p.m. also on SE Division Street near 87th Avenue and that the pedestrian also died at the scene.
Police say the drivers of the vehicle in each case stayed at the scene and have been cooperating with investigators.
No further information was immediately available.
NONPROFIT-EMBEZZLING
Woman guilty of embezzling $200,000 from education nonprofit
(Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com)
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — A Eugene woman has pleaded guilty to embezzling over $200,000 from a nonprofit that promotes career and technical education programs for Oregon high school and community college students.
The Register-Guard reports 74-year-old Thelma Clemons pleaded guilty to wire fraud Wednesday related to her attempt to cover up thefts that she carried out over a seven-year period.
A plea agreement calls for her to receive probation. An attorney says Clemons has paid back $100,000 and will make her best effort to raise the remainder.
Clemons served as executive secretary of the Salem-based Oregon Association for Career and Technical Education, now known as Oregon ACTE, Inc., until the thefts were discovered last year.
The organization’s president, Ed Woods, told the newspaper that according to bank records, the embezzled funds were used for vacations, groceries and other expenses.
___
NORTHWEST WEATHER
Winter storm warning Thursday for western Oregon, Washington
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for much of northwest Oregon and southwest Washington Thursday, prompting Portland to close all city offices and dozens of schools to delay or cancel classes.
The service says an unusually strong winter storm will bring with mixed precipitation in the greater Portland and Vancouver, Washington, areas.
Officials say snow will start falling Thursday and then change to freezing rain in the coastal mountains and inland areas. Freezing rain is predicted to continue inland until midnight and especially near the Columbia River Gorge with up to a quarter inch of ice possible.
The weather service says generally from 2 to 4 inches of snow could accumulate.
In the greater Seattle area, a winter weather advisory for up to 3 inches of snow in the lowlands has been issued from Thursday afternoon through Friday morning.
GERMAN BIKERS KILLED
Man gets 2 years in jail for crash that killed German bikers
(Information from: The Cody Enterprise, http://www.codyenterprise.com)
CODY, Wyo. (AP) — A man who crashed his pickup into a group of German motorcyclists heading to Yellowstone National Park, killing three, has been sentenced to two years in jail.
The Cody Enterprise reports Manuel Defuentes, of Ontario, Oregon, was sentenced Wednesday and was given credit for 181 days he has already served. He pleaded guilty last month to three misdemeanor counts of vehicular homicide stemming from the June 9 crash that killed 53-year-old Tino Cachey, 52-year-old Ute Cachey and 37-year-old Erik Brecht.
Four other motorcyclists were injured.
The group was headed to Yellowstone from Cody when Defuentes’ truck crossed the center line at a curve. An investigation did not reveal any drug or alcohol use or mechanical issues with the truck.
___
LOGGING ACCIDENTS
2 injured in separate logging accidents near Sweet Home
SWEET HOME, Ore. (AP) — Authorities say two loggers were injured in separate incidents in the area of Sweet Home.
The Sweet Home Fire District said in a news release that a yarder operator was struck in the legs when a log came through his machine’s cab Monday. Fire district officials took the man to a Springfield hospital for treatment.
On Wednesday, the district says a 31-year-old man was hit in the head with a log during operations on the Ames Creek main line.
The district says the logging crew got the man to the road, where responders could treat him before he was flown to the Springfield hospital.
No further information about the victims was available.
The fire district says responders were able to reach the loggers because of an anonymous donation for a new four-wheel drive medic unit.
SEASIDE POLICE SHOOTING
Man linked to gun in Oregon cop’s killing pleads guilty
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A felon whose pistol was used to kill a Seaside police sergeant has pleaded guilty to federal charges.
Jamie Lee Jones admitted Wednesday he possessed methamphetamine with intent to sell and had a firearm while selling heroin.
Other charges are being dropped in a plea agreement, including allegations he threatened witnesses to keep them from cooperating with investigators after the February slaying of Sgt. Jason Goodding.
Goodding was fatally shot by Phillip Ferry as he tried to arrest him in downtown Seaside. Another officer then shot and killed Ferry. Prosecutor Gary Sussman said Ferry had stolen the pistol from Jones shortly before the killing.
The 46-year-old Jones faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison at his March sentencing. The maximum is life behind bars.
LONGEST ROAD SIGNS
Signs to mark eastern and western ends of longest US road
BOSTON (AP) — Signs marking the eastern and western ends of the longest continuous road in the U.S. are being unveiled on both coasts.
Historic U.S. Route 20 runs between Boston and Newport, Oregon.
On Thursday, Massachusetts highway officials plan to install a mileage sign on the eastern end of the road in Boston’s Kenmore Square. The sign will inform motorists that Newport, Oregon, is a mere 3,365 miles away on Route 20 westbound.
A similar sign will go up in Newport Thursday marking the same distance, 3,365 miles, to Boston should drivers want to travel the entire way eastbound on Route 20.
The road passes through 12 states on its path between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
TIMBERS-RIDGEWELL ARREST
Attorneys for soccer player object to field sobriety test
(Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Defense attorneys say a Portland Timbers defender who was arrested on intoxicated driving charges shouldn’t have been asked to perform a field sobriety test.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that Liam Ridgewell’s attorneys Christine Mascal and Sean Riddell say Lake Oswego police officers didn’t have reasonable suspicion to test Ridgewell for alcohol while investigating an October crash involving his teammate, Jake Gleeson.
Mascal and Riddell filed a motion in Lake Oswego Municipal Court to suppress the evidence against Ridgewell, saying officers knew he wasn’t involved in the crash or a witness to it. Ridgewell arrived at the scene after Gleeson called him for help.
The Timbers organization and Major League Soccer said in statements that both Ridgewell and Gleeson would be assessed by the league’s Substance Abuse and Behavior Health Program.
___
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
