Guardsman, 3 Others Cited For Illegal Off-Roading

Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division cited four Mosier-area men on charges of trespassing and damaging a reforested meadow on private SDS Lumber Co. property in Hood River County last week. One of the four vehicles involved was an Army National Guard Humvee.

OSP Senior Trooper Joel McNerney responded Thursday to a report that several vehicles were stuck in a reforested meadow on SDS Lumber Co. property off Huskey Hill Road, causing approximately $1,000 in damage. Four suspects were identified and interviewed. They were cited to appear in Hood River County Circuit Court on felony and misdemeanor charges.

The investigation alleges the incident began on the evening of March 17 when a white 1986 Toyota pickup and blue 1987 Ford Bronco became buried in the mud on SDS property. The next day, four men returned to the area in a black 2001 Toyota Tundra pickup and tan Army National Guard Humvee. They drove these vehicles into the meadow, where they also became stuck. They called a tow company to come out and remove the four stuck vehicles.

One of the men reportedly is an Army National Guard member and had checked the Humvee out for a road test but instead used it to come out to the meadow to try and help remove the stuck vehicles.  It should also be noted that the blue Ford Bronco driven by a different person not involved in this incident got stuck in the middle of Hood River near Dee, Ore., on Feb. 1.

The following four men were each cited for first-degree criminal mischief, a class C felony, and second-degree criminal trespass, a class A misdemeanor:

* JIMMIE LEE CHAMPION, age 20, from Mosier

* JAMES CALEB CRISMON, age 26, from Mosier

* JONATHAN M. CRISMON, age 26, from Mosier

* TRAVIS WAYNE MILLAR, age 27, from Mosier

First-degree criminal mischief is a class C felony punishable by a maximum fine of $125,000 and 5 years in prison.
Second-degree criminal trespass is a class C misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of $1,250 and 30 days in jail.