75-year-old pleads not guilty
Eldridge McCoy Maready, 75, plead not guilty to manslaughter and driving under the influence of intoxicants charges in court on Wednesday, Nov. 16. Maready was the driver in a tragic two-car vehicle crash on Nov. 8, where he drove his  truck over the subcompact car of 53-year-old Gerald Taylor Brooks.
Maready was intoxicated and driving the wrong way on Interstate 105 near the Valley River Center when he hit Brooks, totaling the smaller car. Brooks was announced dead on scene, while Maready escaped without serious injury.
Maready has no previous traffic convictions, although he did plead not guilty to a speeding citation in October. If convicted of second degree manslaughter, he will spend a minimum of six years and three months in prison.
Four schools lock down due to gun scare
A report of an armed man around an area of Highway 99 made four schools in the area go into lock-down, and led to the arrest of two people.
Police were called around 9:20 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16, when a passerby saw a gun on a man’s belt. A group of three men were found in the area, and all ran when the police arrived. Two of those three, including a teen, were arrested on outstanding warrants.
Due to the other man’s escape, the Bethel School District put two elementary schools, Cascade Middle School and Willamette High school, on lock-down. Nobody was allowed in or out of the building, but students could go to walk around inside.
Two sides of beating story heard at trial
Mark Taylor, 42, was severely beaten by two homeless men in an incident on August 11, 2011. When the case went to trial, Taylor claimed that he had never seen the homeless men before, and might have been killed without the help of witnesses.
John Chartrand, 44, and Carl Pyritz, 49, were charged with attempted murder in the case; however, their lawyer is arguing it was self-defense.
Chartrand was stabbed by Taylor in the fight, while Taylor received a number of injuries, including a kick to the head that was caught on video.
The trial will continue next week.
Springfield man charged with corn fraud
Harold Allen Chase has been accused of selling 4.2 million pounds of conventional corn as organic corn to Grain Millers, taking an additional profit of nearly $200,000.
His fraud came to light when there were inconsistencies found while auditing the corn to verify its compliance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program regulations.
Grain Millers had wanted to sell the corn to other mills, but couldn’t due to its inconsistencies.
Chase is due in court on Dec. 6 to enter a plea.