The startling, daylight take-over robbery took place a month ago – and police need your help finding the criminals who terrorized this popular outer East Portland restaurant …
The Refectory, a well-known dining and meeting establishment, was taken over by armed robbers on February 15. See if you can help the cops bust these dangerous crooks.
Story and photo by David F. Ashton
The Friday morning – one month ago, on February 15 – was a crisp winter day that started to warm as the sun came out.
Workers were going about their routine of setting up for their lunch crowd at The Refectory, 1618 NE 122nd Avenue, just north of NE Halsey Street, across from the parking lot from the outer Gateway Winco grocery store.
At 9:14 a.m., two thugs strolled in, forced employees to the ground, and stole money from the safe. Additionally, the suspects stole an employee’s 2005 gray Jeep Liberty to use as their getaway vehicle. On Saturday, February 16, Fairview Police recovered the vehicle in the 2700 block of Northeast 205th Avenue.
Suspect #1 is described as a white male in his 30’s, 5’8 -5’10”, 200 pounds, light brown hair, stubble on his face, and wearing a blue hooded jacket.
Suspect #2 is described as white, possibly a female, in the 30’s, 5’8, 180 pounds, wearing an orange and blue jacket with a white stripe across the chest and back. The suspect’s face was covered during the robbery.
Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information, reported to Crime Stoppers, that leads to the an arrest in this case, or for any unsolved felony, and you can remain anonymous. Call Crime Stoppers at (503) 823-HELP (4357).
© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service
After commending this outer East Portland shopkeeper for taking down a petty thief, police tell the steps you should take if your home or car is burglarized …
By David F. Ashton
Because those involved chose not to meet with us, we don’t have photos of this solved crime – but the story which we uncovered, and what you can learn from it, are important.
Pawn gone wrong
On February 28, a man stomped out of the Money Market Pawn Shop, near SE 169th Avenue on SE Division Street – angry because the pawn keeper, Peter Lim, didn’t buy the bicycle he was selling.
“Lim recognized the man,” said Portland Police Bureau spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz, “and suspected the bike might be stolen. But, he took down information on the bike, and 0n the man, before he turned him away.”
Then, Lim picked up the phone and talked with detectives from the Police Bureau’s Special Property Investigations Unit. That led to a search of Sutton’s residence, which uncovered yet another stolen bicycle – a bike which police say was the victim’s only means of transportation to and from work.
They didn’t have to go far to arrest the man who officials say is a repeat thief, 31-year-old William Sutton; he was already in jail for Probation Violation.
Sutton subsequently was charged with Attempted Theft in the First Degree, two counts of Attempted Theft in the Second Degree, one count of Theft in the First Degree, and one count of Theft in the Second Degree in connection with the stolen bikes.
Police say this man, William Sutton, makes money by selling and pawning things – namely, other people’s property that he’s stolen.
Sticky-fingered Sutton
Schmautz reminded us that, in September of last year, Sutton was arrested when he tried to pawn a widow’s stolen wedding ring at a Portland pawnshop.
“That arrest occurred after alert pawnshop employees, acting on information provided by the police, recognized Sutton and the ring, and then called the police while Sutton was still in the store,” said Schmautz. “Months later, police learned that Sutton was out of custody and selling property again.”
Something stolen?
Many people believe they’ll find their stolen goods on sale at a pawnshop or secondhand store immediately after being stolen.
But, Schmautz explained, “What many don’t realize is that property sold to one of these locations is kept in a ‘police hold area’ for 30 days – and for 90 days, if it was pawned and not redeemed.”
During this “hold” period, he added, the Police Bureau’s Special Property Investigations unit works to identify any of the property that might be stolen. “One of the best ways to help law enforcement recover your stolen property is to document all serial numbers, photograph valuables, and give this information to the police if you are victimized.”
© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service
Why would crew members from Portland Fire & Rescue volunteer don their full gear, and prepare to race to the top of a 69-story building that is NOT on fire? Take a look, and find out …
Portland Fire & Rescue firefighter Marc Ham takes his turn on the stepping exerciser, as firefighter Tim Spring “passes the boot”, asking shoppers for a donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Story and photo by David F. Ashton
Even though the firefighters of Portland Fire & Rescue stay in shape by working out and training – and responding to emergencies – several of them spent February 23 on a stair-stepping exercise machine at Costco’s Airport location.
When we arrived, we found a resident of the Sellwood neighborhood for fifteen years, firefighter Mark Ham, working up a sweat. In full gear – 70 pounds of it, including his breathing apparatus, he was vigorously working out. “I’m getting ready for the ‘Scott Firefighter Stairclimb for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’,” said the firefighter, who works at the bureau’s Training Academy on NE 122nd Avenue.
The stairclimb event, held on March 2 at Seattle’s Columbia Center, is the largest individual firefighter competition in the world, we learned. More than 1,300 firefighters from across the Pacific Northwest – including 25 Portland-area firefighters – will compete in this timed race to the top of the building.
Firefighter Tim Spring, a crew member of Station 25, on SE 52nd Avenue, said he was encouraging people to help “fill the boot” he carried with donations.
“The proceeds go to help find a cure for cancer,” Spring explained. “We’ve had several people in the department that have had cancer in the last five or six years. We’re trying to get out in the community and show our support for cancer research.”
Ham agreed, “We’re volunteering our time because cancer has affected quite a few of our firefighters; this fundraiser is close to our hearts.”
You can still help: Drop off cash or a check for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at any PF&R station.
© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service
As night falls, see how Portland Fire & Rescue crews use a modern conveyance to rescue an injured horseback rider …
Firefighter Bruce Linson, a team member attached to PF&R Utility Truck 22, stationed at the St. John’s firehouse, drives the ATV carrying the injured horseback rider down Powell Butte.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
A beautiful, late afternoon horseback ride with friends on Powell Butte went awry on February 18, when one rider’s horse lost its footing, and threw its rider.
Because after the fall he couldn’t ride or walk, his friends called 9-1-1 asking for help.
At 5:30 p.m., a Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) Station 29 crew scrambled to locate and rescue the man — said to be on the South side of Powell Butte. The injured rider’s friends met firefighters at the trailhead, and together they hiked about a mile back up the trail with their medical equipment in hand.
Firefighters and paramedics prepare the injured rider to be moved off the ATV and onto the waiting gurney.
Soon, twilight turned into darkness on the Butte.
“The firefighters realized they couldn’t carry the patient down the steep trail,” PF&R spokesman Lt. Allen Oswalt told us at the scene, as we stood near the waiting ambulance at the trailhead. “They asked that Utility Truck 22 (stationed at the St. Johns Fire Station) be dispatched to assist with transporting the patient down the trail.”
When we asked why they asked for a truck to drive all the way from St. Johns, Oswalt said, “This rig carries our two four-wheeler all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) – the same ones we used during the Powell Butte and Oaks Bottom controlled burns last summer.”
He explained that specialized equipment allows the ATVs to be adapted for many uses, including patient transport. “We have Utility 22 Units stationed at the St. Johns firehouse, primarily for use in Forest Park.”
While we awaited the arrival of the crew, Oswald told us that St. Johns Honda helped arrange a special deal, allowing PF&R were able to purchase two identical ATVs, instead of the single unit for which they originally budgeted.
Preparing the injured man for his trip to the hospital, rescue workers make sure the patent is secured and in stable condition.
Slowly, the headlights and emergency lights of the ATVs came into view as the crew, and patient, came down the trail.
As the crew carefully moved the patient, his leg already splinted, from the back of the ATV to the gurney, he looked to be in good spirits. His only comment was made to the firefighters, “Thank you. You guys are great.”
The patient was said to be in satisfactory condition as he was transported to Sunnyside Kaiser Hospital at 7:21 p.m.
The rescue of this rider was more swift and certain thanks to the crew trained to use the PF&R ATVs under a variety of conditions.
Precise location prompts faster rescues
“Rescues in the many wild spaces, even inside the city limits, often seem to take a long time,” commented Oswalt.
“A primary challenge is finding the exact location of the patient,” the PF&R spokesman continued. “Although firefighters have maps of all of the trails in every park, many times the signs marking the trail are vandalized, or people are unsure of their location. The best way for the public to help the rescuers is to send someone out to a main trail, to guide firefighters to the patient.”
A cell phone is an indispensable tool, since most of the wild areas in the City of Portland have cell phone coverage, Oswalt added.
© 2007 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service
Discover how a moment’s inattention while cooking injured a woman and damaged her home …
A firefighter, carrying an extra length of hose, races down the long driveway to reach the house, located in the back of a flag lot.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Fortunately for the residents of a house tucked away on the back of a “flag lot” in the Centennial Neighborhood, they are served by two great fire services – Portland Fire & Rescue and Gresham Fire Department. The combined prompt response saved that house from going up on flames on February 9.
The fire, at a home in the 2300 block of SE 156th Avenue, started in the kitchen, Battalion Chief C-3, Pat Davies, told us at the scene. “We just put out a stove fire, and we’re looking for fire extensions in the kitchen.”
A firefighter, with paramedic kit in hand, rushes to the aid of the homeowner.
Portland Fire & Rescue spokesman Lt. Allen Oswalt told us, “The owner was ‘seasoning’ a cast iron pan with oil. She left it on the stove, with the burner on. She became distracted, and walked away from it.”
Although we’re told the woman didn’t suffer serious injuries, she was treated by firefighters – who are also trained as paramedics.
Providing immediate help for injured victims, the firefighter paramedics check to see if the homeowner needs a trip to the hospital.
“Too often,” Oswalt commented, “we’re called to fires that started because someone left a pot or pan on the stove and walked away from it. In moments, oil can overheat, and start a fire that quickly gets out of hand.”
In addition to paying attention while cooking, Oswalt stressed the importance of having working fire detectors in a house. “It can alert the residents in time to save major damages – or lives.”
Although the fire was small, investigators said the blaze nonetheless caused $10,000 damage.
© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service
In addition to forcing thousands of residents to awaken to cold houses and chilly showers, this underage drunk driver also shut off power to Adventist Medical Center …
There weren’t any signs of skid marks, which would have shown that the driver made any attempt to stop before plowing in the PGE Midway Substation.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Almost 16,000 homes, businesses, intersections – and yes, even Portland Adventist Medical Center and Emergency Room – lost electrical power in the early morning hours of February 6.
Police say the wide-spread outage was caused by the out-of-control driving of an under-age drunk driver.
A neighbor across the street, Larry Fender, said he slept through the crash. “What woke me up was the noise from the sirens and the flashing lights outside my window. I went to turn on the lights, but our power was off.”
Looking out his window, Fender said he could see that a car had driven into PGE’s Midway Substation on SE Division Street at SE 139th Avenue. “I didn’t see it, but my neighbor said she saw the driver of the car struggling to get out of the car, and try to run away, but she couldn’t get back out through the fence.”
Judging by the damage caused when the car ripped through the fence and into the electrical substation, it must have been traveling at a high rate of speed.
Passed out at the wheel
We inspected the pavement and lawn at the accident scene.
There were no skid marks or signs the driver tried to stop or slow down as she drove wildly south on SE 139th Avenue, whipped across SE Division Street, popped up over the curb, whizzed across 20 feet of lawn, took out guy wires, barreled through a heavy-duty chain-link fence, and came to a stop after knocking out two supports for one of the giant electrical power breakers in the substation.
Neighbors gathered to watch the repairs underway, and commented that the driver must have been “dead at the wheel” drunk.
Dangerous work in the dead of night
Soon after the accident, reported at 2:38 am, Portland General Electric crews were on-site, looking at the damage.
“While the Subaru was still wedged in the tower supports,” PGE spokesman Steve Corson, told us, “our crews were working on ways to get the power back on.”
Long after the intruding car was removed – and long into the following day – PGE crews worked around live, dangerously-high current-carrying equipment, to repair the damage caused by the underage drunk driver.
An electrical power substation, Corson explained, is a central distribution point that feeds the power “feeder” lines snaking out into the surrounding neighborhoods. “When the driver clipped the guy wires holding utility poles that supporting our incoming power transmission lines – and damaged the support stanchions for the lines – the substation shut down.”
By 7:30 a.m., workers managed to restore power to about half of the affected area, still leaving 7,800 homes and business in the dark.
“We want to get power restored quickly to customers, but we do have to do it safely,” commented Corson. “Our workers put their safety training to work, while they were working in a hazardous situation. The Subaru was in the midst of it all, and we had to work safely around it.”
8:15 a.m., everyone’s juice was back on. Yet, throughout the day, as many as a dozen PGE crew members carefully worked around the electrified lines, welding new supports into place, and fixing damaged monitoring equipment.
Police say that this young woman, 20-year-old Felica Londres, was the driver who smashed into the Midway Substation.
Driver shouldn’t have been boozing
The hard-partying driver responsible for this costly and inconvenient incident was, according to Portland Police Bureau spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz, 20-year-old Felica Londres.
“Londres attempted to run from the scene, but was trapped by the fence and was taken into custody,” Schmautz reported. “She was evaluated at Portland Adventist Hospital. Then, she was booked into jail on one count each of DUII, Hit and Run, and Attempting to Elude a Police Officer.”
© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service
In addition to forcing thousands of residents to awaken to cold houses and chilly showers, this underage drunk driver also shut off power to Adventist Medical Center …
There weren’t any signs of skid marks, which would have shown that the driver made any attempt to stop before plowing in the PGE Midway Substation.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Almost 16,000 homes, businesses, intersections – and yes, even Portland Adventist Medical Center and Emergency Room – lost electrical power in the early morning hours of February 6.
Police say the wide-spread outage was caused by the out-of-control driving of an under-age drunk driver.
A neighbor across the street, Larry Fender, said he slept through the crash. “What woke me up was the noise from the sirens and the flashing lights outside my window. I went to turn on the lights, but our power was off.”
Looking out his window, Fender said he could see that a car had driven into PGE’s Midway Substation on SE Division Street at SE 139th Avenue. “I didn’t see it, but my neighbor said she saw the driver of the car struggling to get out of the car, and try to run away, but she couldn’t get back out through the fence.”
Judging by the damage caused when the car ripped through the fence and into the electrical substation, it must have been traveling at a high rate of speed.
Passed out at the wheel
We inspected the pavement and lawn at the accident scene.
There were no skid marks or signs the driver tried to stop or slow down as she drove wildly south on SE 139th Avenue, whipped across SE Division Street, popped up over the curb, whizzed across 20 feet of lawn, took out guy wires, barreled through a heavy-duty chain-link fence, and came to a stop after knocking out two supports for one of the giant electrical power breakers in the substation.
Neighbors gathered to watch the repairs underway, and commented that the driver must have been “dead at the wheel” drunk.
Dangerous work in the dead of night
Soon after the accident, reported at 2:38 am, Portland General Electric crews were on-site, looking at the damage.
“While the Subaru was still wedged in the tower supports,” PGE spokesman Steve Corson, told us, “our crews were working on ways to get the power back on.”
Long after the intruding car was removed – and long into the following day – PGE crews worked around live, dangerously-high current-carrying equipment, to repair the damage caused by the underage drunk driver.
An electrical power substation, Corson explained, is a central distribution point that feeds the power “feeder” lines snaking out into the surrounding neighborhoods. “When the driver clipped the guy wires holding utility poles that supporting our incoming power transmission lines – and damaged the support stanchions for the lines – the substation shut down.”
By 7:30 a.m., workers managed to restore power to about half of the affected area, still leaving 7,800 homes and business in the dark.
“We want to get power restored quickly to customers, but we do have to do it safely,” commented Corson. “Our workers put their safety training to work, while they were working in a hazardous situation. The Subaru was in the midst of it all, and we had to work safely around it.”
8:15 a.m., everyone’s juice was back on. Yet, throughout the day, as many as a dozen PGE crew members carefully worked around the electrified lines, welding new supports into place, and fixing damaged monitoring equipment.
Police say that this young woman, 20-year-old Felica Londres, was the driver who smashed into the Midway Substation.
Driver shouldn’t have been boozing
The hard-partying driver responsible for this costly and inconvenient incident was, according to Portland Police Bureau spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz, 20-year-old Felica Londres.
“Londres attempted to run from the scene, but was trapped by the fence and was taken into custody,” Schmautz reported. “She was evaluated at Portland Adventist Hospital. Then, she was booked into jail on one count each of DUII, Hit and Run, and Attempting to Elude a Police Officer.”
© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service
Was he holding his ex-girlfriend hostage in the SE Powell Boulevard Motel 6 room with a gun? See why police took no chances, and called in SERT officers …
Because the suspect was reportedly using a handgun to hold a woman hostage, police officers and the SERT team closed down SE Powell Boulevard for blocks around the Motel 6.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Agreeing to meet and “work out problems” in their estranged relationship, 37-year-old Kenneth Clowers and 32-year-old Angel Crowe checked into the Motel 6 in the 3100 block of SE Powell Boulevard the evening of Monday, February 4.
According to Portland Police Bureau spokesman, Sgt. Brian Schmautz, the couple’s subsequent discussion was lubricated with spirits. “After quite a bit of alcohol consumption – about a half-gallon of vodka consumed by both people – Clowers and Crowe began to fight, sometime during the night or the following morning.”
At the front door of the motel, officers continued to gather information about the incident that mobilized the SERT squad.
When things started going badly, apparently Crowe picked up her cell phone, Schmautz said, and called her mother. Crowe’s mom then called 9-1-1 about 11:15 a.m. on Feb. 5 saying her daughter was being held against her will, at gunpoint.
“Because a gun was reportedly involved,” Schmautz told us, “police officers set up a parameter, isolated the motel room, and identified both the man and woman. Both individuals are known to police.”
Officers checked on the victim, reportedly punched during the incident, before she was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
As Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) officers scrambled into the area, hostage negotiators opened contact with Clowers. SE Powell Boulevard, from SE 32nd Avenue west to Cleveland High School – which was placed in a precautionary lockdown during the event – was closed to traffic.
“Negotiators reported hearing Crowe yelling, ‘He doesn’t have a gun’ in the background. We didn’t know if she was being coerced into saying that, or if Clowers was trying to provoke police into taking deadly force,” Schmautz added.
An officer stands guard, as SERT officers go through the motel room in search of a handgun, but found none.
About 12:30 p.m., negotiators convinced Clowers to surrender. Indeed, no handgun was found in the motel room.
“The only injury was to Crowe,” said Schmautz. “She was punched sometime during the incident. It was not a traumatic injury; officers later interviewed her at the hospital.”
Kenneth Clowers has been charged with Violation of a Restraining Order, Assault in the Fourth Degree (Domestic Violence), and Coercion.
© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service
Although other houses are close by, neighbors chose simply to gawk at the blaze, instead of calling 9-1-1. Their neglect, it appears, cost a human life. Read why you can’t blame the fire department for being late to this fire …
When the firefighters finally located it, far from where first reported, this house was blazing. Dick Harris, PF&R photo
Story and some photos by David F. Ashton
The early Sunday morning house fire – officials guess it started about 7:30 a.m. – was burning furiously. It was “fully involved”, as firefighters say, by the time they pulled up at 7:45 a.m.
Huge flames were belching out of the house at 4429 SE 65th Avenue, on the north side of SE Holgate Boulevard, two blocks from SE Foster Road, as crews quickly pulled hoses, set up ladders, and sprinted into action.
Two residents of the house escaped the inferno, but Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) firefighters located an unconscious occupant in a second floor bedroom next to the room engulfed with flames. The fire fighters rushed the victim to safety, for treatment by the ambulance crew on-scene – and after CPR, he was rushed to the Burn Center at Emanuel Hospital.
What the official PF&R photos don’t show are the neighbors standing around watching the fire – and no one calling 911 for help. Dick Harris, PF&R photo
Hidden spaces hinder quenching
“The attack on the fire was a challenge for crews,” reported PF&R spokesperson Kim Kosmas, “because the home had many hidden spaces in the walls and attic in which the fire spread. The fire burned most of the second floor, the attic, and later the kitchen, which was located on the first floor.”
The crews of seven fire engines and two trucks battled the blaze until past 9 a.m., Kosmas said, and kept on working, putting out hot spots, until early afternoon.
Wrong address delays response
Typically, fire crews arrive within minutes. Their timely response saves lives and reduces property damage.
In this case, Kosmos reported, a call to 9-1-1 said that the house was located at SE 61st Street at SE Holgate Boulevard. When crews arrived in the area, they found no fire; but after hunting around the neighborhood, they noticed smoke coming from SE 65th & SE Holgate.
We later checked in with PF&R Public Information Officer, Lt. Allen Oswalt, to find out what went wrong.
“The woman who called in the fire to the 9-1-1 Center was driving through the neighborhood,” said Oswalt. “She was unfamiliar with the area, and wasn’t sure of her location. Even though firefighters were directed to the wrong address, she did the right thing, and called.”
This fire left the house a total loss, injured two residents, and killed another.
Many cell phones to take photos, not call 9-1-1
When we visited the scene of the fire later in the week, the devastation was apparent. The entire back half of the residence gaped open, and burned timbers, walls, and furnishings were exposed to the elements.
We spoke with a neighbor who was also looking at the damage. He didn’t want to identify himself, but said, “It seems like the whole neighborhood was out watching the fire. One guy was videoing it; lots of cell phones were out – taking pictures.”
“Did you call 9-1-1?” we ask.
“No,” was the response. “I thought someone else did. It was a huge fire.”
Back at the office, we learned the man whom firefighters rescued, Bradley Holsclaw, age 28, died the following morning, according to the Multnomah County Medical Examiner.
We asked Lt. Oswalt if the preoccupation with photographing the fire – instead of calling it in – could have cost Holsclaw his life.
This rain-soaked makeshift lawn shrine is in memory of Bradley Holsclaw, the man who died in the fire.
“We’ll never know,” replied Oswalt, and he made this appeal: “Please, if you see a fire, don’t assume someone else is calling 9-1-1 for help. We don’t mind getting a dozen calls reporting a fire. We use information gathered from each call to help our crews prepare, en route, for what to expect – and to verify the exact location.”
While not an official finding, Oswalt said he understands there wasn’t a working smoke and fire detector in the house. “It’s a good idea to have two or more. They’re inexpensive, and they save lives.”
© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service
This driver must have been in a big hurry while traveling SE Holgate Blvd. in the Powellhurst-Gilbert Neighborhood …
Officials say the driver of this car jumped the green light and plowed into a pickup truck making a left turn on to SE 112th Ave.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Witnesses say they were astonished to see a car “not even slow down” as it headed westbound on SE Holgate Blvd on January 28 about 3:15 p.m.
“The blue car was going way too fast,” Estella Gomez tells us. “I was standing here, waiting for a bus, and the car looked like it didn’t even slow down a bit before it hit the truck.”
This 1/2-ton pickup truck was spun 90 degrees by the impact from the car that collided with it.
The driver the pickup truck says he was driving eastbound on SE Holgate St., and was about to turn left (north) on SE 112th Ave. As the traffic control signal at the intersection turned yellow the car in front of him made the left-hand turn and he followed it.
The impact drives the pickup truck into another car, stopped at the intersection, facing south, preparing to make a right-hand turn on to SE Holgate Blvd.
“I don’t even think the guy in the blue car slowed down a bit,” said the driver of the pickup truck. “It’s as if he didn’t have a red light or anything. He just plowed right into me.”
Even though the driver was stopped at the intersection, the accident destroyed her car.
The woman driving that car waiting at the light looked visibly shaken by the sudden collision that totaled her car. “When I close my eyes, all I can see is this big old pickup truck flying right at me and landing on my car’s hood.”
Police officials were unable to report whether or not a citation was issued. No traumatic injuries were reported in the three-car smash-up.
© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service
Most fires can be avoided, Portland Fire & Rescue officials say.
See the devastating results of two such blazes …
After knocking down the fire, Portland Fire & Rescue firefighters move inside on the 10400 block of NE Morris St. to finish extinguishing the blaze that stared in the front-room.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The stillness of the frigid night in Parkrose Heights was shattered late Friday night, January 18, by the sound of wailing and whooping sirens and flashing emergency lights a little after midnight.
Trucks and engines from Portland Fire & Rescue Stations 12, 2, 7, and 30 were racing to a house fire the 10400 block of NE Morris Street. “The fire was ripping so strongly,” a firefighter on the first-arriving truck told us, “you could see it lighting up the sky from NE 102nd Avenue.”
Firefighters, dressed in their heavy turnouts, haul saws up to the roof to cut holes for ventilation and to put out fire that extended to the attic.
Fire lights the sky
Portland Fire & Rescue Battalion Chief C4, Jay Olson, agreed, “The fire was going pretty good. I’m sure the firefighters saw it from a long way away. The front part of the house was fully involved in flames upon arrival. The firefighters quickly knocked down the fire.”
Flames from the front of the house traveled to the back of the home, Olson told us on scene. “The smoke traveled throughout the entire structure.”
This fire presented a challenge Olson added. “Firefighters had to cut in to the roof, tear down ceilings, and go through walls to extinguish the fire.” Firefighters tended the ruins of the house until 5:30 a.m.
Fortunately, fire crews discovered all the occupants had escaped with their dog, said the Battalion Chief.
Although firefighters arrived minutes, one look at this photograph will show how intensely the fire ripped through this Parkrose Heights home.
Escapes midnight blaze
We approached people standing on the curb across from the smoldering home; firefighters suggested they were the neighbors who called in the alarm. We asked what they saw when the called in the alarm.
“Ah, well, actually, it’s our house,” said Josh Schrader. “We haven’t been living here all that long.”
Schrader continued, “My dog woke me up. It let me know there was something going on in the living room. As I was making my way down the stairs I could smell something burning. I got to the living room and I could see that stuff we had in the living room was on fire. I turned around and got everyone out.”
Firefighters pull down the ceiling to make sure all of the fire has been completely extinguished.
The homeowner paused to look for their kitten, and said he couldn’t find it. “I didn’t think we had much time.” Schrader gestured to the woman wrapped in a blanket standing next to him. “Me and her, we made it out with what were wearing.”
Although we didn’t press Schrader, he volunteered, “One good thing is all my fishing gear is in the trailer in the driveway! It’s OK.”
Although the fire was put out quickly, crews remained on the scene looking for flair-ups until 5:30 that morning.
Lessons to be learned
Fire Investigators could not determine if there was a working Smoke Alarm in the home. The cause of the fire was a malfunctioning baseboard heater, which ignited nearby combustible materials.
About this fire, Portland Fire & Rescue spokesman Lt. Dave Centers asked us to remind readers: “Always give any heater or heating device (including hot water heaters) at least 16 to 18 inches of clearance. Do not store or pile combustible materials (paper, clothing, wood, etc.) in these spaces.”
Friday Fire #2
As the other crews pull up, they find the fire was put out quickly by the crew of Truck 11.
A week later, on Friday January 25 – the report of another house fire, in outer East Portland, came in at 1:21 p.m. One minute after the call came in, Portland Fire & Rescue Truck 11 pulled up to the burning home in the 5100 block of SE 85th Avenue, a couple of blocks south of Eastport Plaza.
Pumping water directly from the tank in their engine, the Truck 11 crew rushed in and attacked the fire.
This is the charred room the firefighters saw when the looked in the window.
With minutes, units from Stations 25, 19, and 29 joined their comrades – but the fire was already out, and the damage was done.
The house didn’t look damaged when we arrived. “It looks like a bedroom fire,” said Battalion Chief C3, Pat Davies.
The firefighters removed a burned door and some charred furniture as they “overhauled” [looking for embers and removing burnt material] the bedroom. Burned material is at the feet of the firefighters.
A gentleman talking with fire officials at the home stopped and told us his daughter lived at the house. “I think my granddaughter was playing with matches or a lighter in the bedroom.”
“Damage was extensive enough, to force the two adults and three kids to be displaced from the home,” reported Portland Fire & Rescue spokesperson Kim Kosmas. “The investigator determined that the fire was started by a youth playing with a lighter.”
A Portland Fire & Rescue fire inspector talks with a gentleman who identified himself as the father of the one of the residents of the house.
Lesson to be learned
“Kids are fascinated by fire,” Kosmas told us. “Parents must teach their children that fire is a powerful, destructive force. And, it helps to keep lighters and matches out the reach of small children.”
© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service
The driver who hit the 68-year-old bicyclist stopped, offered help, information. He stubbornly but kindly waved her on, and then found he really was injured. Learn how his resulting hospital bill will get paid …
This is the intersection, known as “Bell Station Corner”, where 68-year-old Howard Dempsey was struck by a car while walking his bike across the street – on a green light – on January 20. He was walking south, the same direction as this biker is riding.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Because he says he likes exercise, 68-year-old Howard Joel Dempsey was out riding the Springwater Trail on Sunday January 20.
His outing ended painfully at 10:50 a.m. when he was by struck by a car – the driver ran a red light – where the popular trail intersects with SE Johnson Creek Boulevard and Bell Avenue.
Recovering in his home, Howard Dempsey was presented with a gift of reading material to help pass the time during his recovery by the driver who struck him, Amanda Willard.
Motorist offers aid and information
As Dempsey sprawled on the pavement, his bike going flying, the driver did the right thing: She pulled over and ran to Dempsey’s side.
“Witnesses on-scene confirm that the driver tried to aid the injured cyclist,” reported Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) spokesman Detective Jim Strovink. “This driver was very concerned for the welfare of Dempsey, and did what was compassionately expected and required by law.”
However, as Dempsey struggleed to his feet, he reportedly refused to accept any insurance and contact information the driver eagerly attempted to provide. “Reportedly,” Strovink added, “Dempsey continued to exclaim he was going to be just fine, and intended to just ‘walk-it-off’.”
Amanda’s dad, Michael Willard, says their family is just “trying to do the right thing”.
Fractured hip and no insurance
“After the responsible driver exhausted numerous attempts to have Dempsey accept her information, she departed the scene,” said Strovink.
But, a short time later, Dempsey discovered he couldn’t mount his bicycle, and fell to the pavement in pain.
Thanks to a 9-1-1 call from a bystander, CCSO Deputy Dave Willard arrived on-scene, and summoned medical personnel to examine a still-reluctant Dempsey. The victim was taken to Providence Milwaukie Hospital, where clinicians found Dempsey was suffering from a seriously fractured hip, requiring extensive surgery.
During the investigation, Deputy Willard discovered Dempsey is a nearly- full-time volunteer in this very hospital – and, unfortunately, doesn’t have medical insurance.
Because those on the scene described the woman whose car struck Dempsey as appearing very genuine and conscientious, Strovink put out press releases asking for the driver to come forward. “We hope this is the case, and that she is courageous enough to step forward, at this most difficult time,” it said.
Lars Larson to the rescue
Less than four minutes after he heard local radio talk show host Lars Larson mention that the Sheriff’s Offices hoped the driver would step forward, Michael Willard (no relation to the CCSO Deputy) called the CCSO and reported that the driver for whom they’re looking is his teenage daughter.
The Deputy visited the Willard home on January 23, obtained insurance and driver’s information, and filled out an accident report. Because the daughter, 19-year-old Amanda Willard, is insured under the family policy, Dempsey’s medical bills will be covered
Driver and victim reunite
At an unusual meeting on the evening of January 24, the Willard family visited Dempsey, who was now at home recovering from an operation that included placing three steel pins in his damaged hip.
Amanda, a dental assistant student at Concordia University, walked in with a stack of books – tied with a ribbon and bow – for Dempsey to enjoy while he recuperates.
Dempsey’s kitty, Muffins, looked bemused by the media crews and equipment that filled his living room.
“It’s nice the way it’s worked out,” Dempsey admitted, “but I hope it never happens again.”
Asked how the accident will change his life, Dempsey replied, “It’ll probably be a couple of months before I can get back to my volunteer work at the hospital. I volunteer a lot. I like being around other people.
“It’s better than being here by myself,” added the recently widowed gentleman.
“I’ll go back to riding my bike when I get better; I’m not to let this shut me in. I’ll ride 30 to 40 miles on a weekend. It gets me out of the house.”
Howard Dempsey says he looks forward to, once again, volunteering at Providence Milwaukie – the same hospital that repaired his shattered hip.
Dad faces the press
Amanda didn’t want to speak on camera, so her dad, Michael Willard, met the assembled media.
“As soon as Amanda came home, as soon as she came right in the door, she told us what happened. She did get kind of emotional, at that point.”
At the time, her father recounts, they didn’t think the man struck was seriously injured. “Had we thought so, we would have filed a report the next day.”
The young lady’s dad continued, “I went to lunch at work on Wednesday afternoon, I always listen to the Lars Larson Show during my lunch break. I called the Sheriff’s Office, was put through to Deputy Dave Willard (again, no relation), and found out it was indeed the incident. Because it’s my daughter I was a little hesitant to say I know what’s going on, but everything matched up.”
East PDX News asked Willard why he thought his daughter did the right thing at the scene.
Willard replied, “When we put her on our insurance, she studied the course the insurance company gave her. And, she’s a responsible girl. She did what she thought was right. When I heard they needed to talk with Amanda, I picked up the phone. I try to do the right thing too.”
Bewildered by media blitz
Confiding that he is somewhat bewildered by all the media attention, Willard asked, “I’m wondering, am I the first person, or the only person in the City of Portland, who has come forward in a situation like this? I was a little concerned about coming out, meeting Mr. Dempsey, doing this interview.”
To the question, “What do you say now that you’ve met him?” Willard said that Dempsey was very nice.
“I try to be as nice as I can,” Dempsey piped up.
Asked how he has spent his days since returning home, Dempsey answered, “It’s not something I wanted to do, but the operation [to repair his shattered hip] was something I had to do. The doctor said to stay sitting as much as possible while it heals. My daughter comes by to take care of me. I watch the news and shows on TV.”
Howard Dempsey and Amanda Willard shake hands before she departs.
A perky news gal piped up, “You watch Channel 2, right?”
“No, no,” Mr. Dempsey answered, without missing a beat, “I watch the news on Channels 6 and 8.”
The laughter that filled the room broke the tension of the situation as news crews packed their gear.
Interestingly, despite the blown red light, no citations were issued in this case, Strovink said. But, his headline on his final press release about the incident summed up his view of the situation: “Well, yes, we do have compassionate and extraordinary citizens amongst us!”
© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service
