Public safety log (May 24)

Public safety log (May 24)
StoryDiscussionDemocrat-Herald | Posted: Monday, May 24, 2010 3:30 pm | No Comments Posted

Font Size:Default font sizeLarger font sizePeople arrested are innocent unless proven otherwise in court. Initial charges often change as a case progresses.

Albany Police

Everyone ashore — Five people and a dog got out safely from a Toyota pickup after it slid into the Willamette River at the Takena Landing boat ramp about 7:30 p.m. Sunday, said Albany police Capt. Eric Carter.

Carter said Jeffery Dean Lehr, 40, was backing down the boat ramp so his passengers could get a good look at the river when his tires slipped on mud and the truck floated out into the river, finally submerging just down river from the Lyon Street Bridge. One lane of the bridge was closed so emergency workers could work safely at the scene.

Everyone, including the dog, was able to swim ashore. AA Towing pulled the vehicle out of the water.

Assault, strangulation — Police arrested Steven Kenneth Stitt, 25, of Albany on fourth-degree sexual assault, strangulation and interfering with making a police report after he allegedly was having sex with a woman who was sleeping and intoxicated. Stitt reportedly took the woman’s cell phone as she tried to call 911, and he was said to have gotten mad when she told him to stop so he hit her several times. Stitt was scheduled to appear today in Linn County Circuit Court.

Suicide — Police and the Albany fire department’s ladder truck responded to a man hanging from a belt from a porch railing about 6:15 a.m. Sunday at the Sunrise Pointe Apartments, 3320 Jackson St. S.E. The 19-year-old was taken to AAsum-Dufour Funeral Home. His parents and girlfriend were notified by police.

School entered — Thieves broke into Sunrise Elementary School, 730 19th Ave. S.E., through a window and took three pieces of computer equipment. The custodian reported the incident to police about 11:25 a.m. Sunday. There are no suspects.

Car break-in — Someone broke a window of a vehicle parked in the 1300 block of Cleveland St. S.E., which was reported about 1:50 p.m. Sunday. Books and school supplies were taken. Damage to the car and the value of the stolen items was estimated at $750.

Car tools taken — A woman told police about 8 p.m. Sunday that someone broke into her Jeep parked in the 1300 block of Waverly Drive S.E. and took jumper cables, tools, oil, wine, clothing and beauty items valued together at $1,000.

Outhouse fire — Witnesses said they saw some kids setting fire to an outhouse behind the Albany Public Library about 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the 2400 block of 16th Ave. S.E. Police caught up with five boys, who said they put smoke bombs into the outhouse. Three of the boys were referred to juvenile authorities for second-degree criminal mischief.

Dutch Bros. robbery — Police still are looking for an older white man who reportedly robbed the Dutch Bros. kiosk, 1125 Ninth Ave. S.E., about 10 p.m. Friday. The barista said she was threatened with a gun with “some weird pole thing at the end.” Albany officer Nate Ard and his dog Joeri tried tracking the robber but could not find him.

Linn County Sheriff

Jealous wife — A woman reportedly slashed the tires on her car and the tires on her husband’s car about 8:30 a.m. Sunday in the 800 block of Sommerville Loop in Harrisburg. It seemed the woman was upset that her husband had slept with another woman.

Husband jailed — Kelsi Cole Spencer, 26, of Halsey was jailed on charges of first-degree burglary, fourth-degree domestic assault, third-degree assault and second-degree criminal mischief about 4:30 a.m. Sunday after he reportedly broke into a home where his wife was thought to be sleeping with another man. Spencer allegedly beat up the man, who went to a hospital in Springfield. Spencer was to appear today in Linn County Circuit Court.

Trailer theft — Someone broke into a storage shed and took a padlock off a trailer parked in the 200 block of N.W. Fifth Avenue in Mill City, which was reported about 2:10 p.m. Sunday. Taken were four chain saws, miscellaneous tools, scuba gear, a Stihl backpack leaf blower and a George Foreman rotisserie and grill, valued together at $2,890.

Museum fire — A fire was reported at the Harrisburg Area Museum, 490 Smith St., about 2:15 a.m. Saturday. It appeared that someone used toilet paper to start a fire in a restroom. Damage was limited to $50.

Stolen tools — About $1,000 worth of tools were reported stolen from a shed in the 35000 block of Washburn Heights Drive in Brownsville, sometime in the past year and a half, the owner told deputies.

More tools taken — A Stihl backpack leaf blower, weed eater and chain saws, a Husky chain saw and weed eater, truck wheels and tires, a case of Delo 1540 oil, hydraulic oil and a Craftsman tool box were reported taken from a shed and truck in the 3800 block of Harrington Drive in Sodaville. The theft, valued at $9,790, was reported at 4:45 p.m. Saturday.

Items taken — Video games, a laptop and a camera valued at $3,130, were reported stolen about 9:45 p.m. Friday from a house in the 800 block of Erica Way in Harrisburg.