Man pleads guilty to criminal negligent homicide
By Katie Pizza
Argus Observer
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 11:03 AM PDT
Ontario — A La Grande man charged in the death of a Vale resident pleaded guilty to criminal negligent homicide in a Vale courtroom last week.
Justin E. Moore, 34, was charged with one count of criminally negligent homicide, a Class C felony, in the death of John Levanger, 40, outside a Jordan Valley tavern June 28.
Levanger died after getting into an altercation with Moore outside the Jordan Valley Cafe and Bar, situated at 701 Main St.
Malheur County Deputy District Attorney Erin Landis said Moore will be sentenced Oct. 21.
In other public safety news, the Ontario Police Department made a felony warrant arrest stemming from a failure to appear charge for an Ontario man Sunday morning.
Lawerence Faries 44, was observed by officers in the back yard of his residence in the 700 block of River Street at 8:50 a.m. Faries, who also had a misdemeanor warrant, was arrested and taken to jail.
OPD also reported three drunk driving arrests in a little more than a day, which OPD Capt. Mark Alexander said is unusual.
The first arrest occurred after an Ontario woman made an illegal U-turn in the 300 block of West Idaho Avenue at 1:30 a.m. Saturday.
Jana Youngblood, 29, was driving a 1998 Honda Accord, which was impounded after the traffic stop. She was arrested and released to a responsible party.
The second arrest occurred after a Vale man made an improper lane change on East Idaho Avenue near East Lane at 11:45 p.m. Saturday.
Gerardo Torres, 22, was driving a 1998 Ford Taurus, which was impounded after the stop. He was also arrested and released to a responsible party. The third arrest occurred after an Ontarian committed an improper lane usage violation on Southwest Fourth Avenue at Oregon Street at 1:50 a.m. Sunday. Veda Bell, 33, was driving a 1998 Toyota minivan, which was impounded after the stop. Bell was also arrested and released to a responsible party.
Alexander also reported a pedestrian versus motor vehicle crash near the skate park on Southwest Fourth Avenue at 10:15 p.m. Friday. Alexander said a 20-year-old from Ontario was crossing the street when the vehicle hit him.
“He was just slightly injured,” he said. Alexander said the driver of the vehicle did not have a criminal intent and was not cited. He also said the man was wearing dark clothing, which made him hard to see. Alexander said he wanted to stress how important it is to wear brightly-colored or reflective clothing when traveling at night. He also said it is staying dark longer, and parents should keep that in mind when sending their children to walk to school.
Last week, OPD arrested an Ontario man on a probation detainer after police say he yelled at a woman and her child in Lion’s Park last Wednesday afternoon. Jeremy Thibault, 36, had a probation violation detainer from Malheur County Community Corrections and was taken to jail. Police are still looking for information regarding a 2005 green Chrysler Pacifica reported stolen earlier this week from the Hannigan Crysler-Jeep-Dodge vehicle lot situated at 180 East Lane.
