Police make arrest in car-fire case
Juvenile male detained in connection to incidents
By Katie Pizza
Argus Observer
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 10:08 AM PDT
Ontario — The Ontario Police Department arrested an Ontario youth Saturday who they assert was responsible for two stolen cars that were set on fire in the Ontario area in late June.
A 16-year-old male from Ontario was arrested near a residence on Northeast First Street on a Malheur County warrant for two charges of arson in the second degree and two charges of unauthorized use a of vehicle.
“We located (the individual) standing with a group of people,” OPD Chief Mike Kee said.
The investigation began when Malheur County Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered a 1984 Ford Bronco on Oregon Highway 201 near Stanton Boulevard north of Ontario.
“We later learned the vehicle had been stolen out of Cambridge, Idaho,” Undersheriff Brian Wolfe said June 30. “Whoever had taken it had set it on fire when they were done with it.”
A GMC van, which belonged to Hells Canyon Electric in Weiser, was also set ablaze in the 800 block of North Oregon Street in Ontario. The youth was placed in an OPD holding cell after he was arrested.
“The juvenile department was called,” Kee said. “They made the decision to turn him back over to his mother.”
Sunday, the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office responded to a motorcycle crash on Oregon Highway 201 near U.S. Highway 20/26, which left two people hospitalized.
Terry McCray, 41, Wendell, Idaho, was operating the motorcycle when it crashed. The passenger, Jennifer McCray, 28, Wendell, was also injured.
“It appears they were traveling too fast for the corner,” Wolfe said. Both were transported to Holy Rosary Medical Center by Treasure Valley Paramedics.
OPD also arrested an Ontario woman on a Malheur County felony indictment at 4:19 p.m. Saturday.
Lisa Mendez, 43, was arrested at a residence in the 1600 block of Northwest First Street for a probation violation. She was taken to Malheur County Jail.
Officers also arrested an Ontario man for a Malheur County felony warrant Saturday.
Anacleto Mata, 26, was in line in front of an OPD officer at an Ontario Shell station when the officer spotted him.
“She knew he had an outstanding warrant,” Kee said.
The officer also reported Mata had been involved in previous altercations with officers and requested backup.
OPD and the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office responded.
Officers then responded to Mata’s home, situated in the 1700 block of North Verde. Police knocked repeatedly on the door but received no response, though they could hear movement inside.
Officers forced the door open, finding that a chair blocked the entrance.
“Mata ran out the back door,” Kee said.
Mata was arrested and taken to Malheur County Jail.
OPD arrested a Clapsop County man on a felony warrant for unauthorized departure after he left the Union Recovery Center without permission Thursday.
“James Cartwright, 24, was on probation out of Clapsop County,” Kee said. “A lot of times people all around Oregon come to this recovery center.”
Cartwright was arrested at 5:27 p.m.
OPD also arrested an Ontario man for violating a no-contact order at 9:28 p.m. .Thursday.
Emmett Mills, 41, was traveling in a 1996 Dodge Intrepid with Lisa Lopez, 26, Ontario, when he was spotted by an officer who was aware of the no-contact order.
“No-contact orders are usually a result of a bad domestic relationship,” Kee said.
