FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: July 25, 2024
Dispute leads to gunfire, one hospitalized and two in custody
Salem, Ore. — At approximately 1:40 p.m. today, emergency personnel responded to the Arco AMPM at 3820 Portland RD NE on a call of shots fired. Witnesses reported that earlier in the day the suspect, identified as Rafael Lucas Jr., age 34 of Salem, was attempting to start a fight with several members of a construction crew working in the store parking lot. Lucas returned after several hours with a second suspect, Benjamin Constantino-De la Luz, age 61 of Salem. A verbal dispute ensued between one of the crew workers and Lucas. Lucas then pulled out a pistol and chased the victim who ran inside the store with Lucas and Constantino-De la Luz pursuing him.
Lucas fired the gun, shooting the construction worker in the head. Constantino-De la Luz used a shovel to twice strike another construction worker who was attempting to aid the shooting victim. Both Lucas and Constantino-De la Luz then fled the store.
The shooting victim, a 48-year-old Salem man, was taken to Salem Health with critical injuries and remains under medical care. The second victim, a 70-year-old Stayton resident, received minor injuries in the incident and was not transported to the hospital.
Officers located Lucas and Constantino-De la Luz blocks from the crime scene and were taken into custody without incident. Both were transported to the Marion County Jail, each lodged on the following charges:
- Attempted murder, second-degree
- Assault, first-degree
- Assault, second-degree, two counts
- Unlawful use of a weapon
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Update 07/18/2024 | 1:55 p.m.
Stolen vehicle investigation leads to four arrests
Additional arrest, second motorcyclist now in custody
On July 17, Felony Crimes Unit detectives arrested the second suspect in a shots-fired incident that occurred last week.
Brian Lee English, age 28 of Salem, was arrested for his involvement in a shooting incident on July 11. That day, while detectives were conducting a motorcycle theft investigation at a storage facility in the 1800 block of 22nd ST SE, two motorcycle riders drove up near the business and one of the men fired a gun into the air in plain view of the officers.
The motorcyclists then fled the scene. One rider, Zayn Free Bristow, age 25 of Mill City, was apprehended after a p pursuit ensued when Bristow was located. Bristow was arrested; however, the second motorcyclist, English, escaped.
On Wednesday afternoon, detectives located English outside a residence in the 1500 block of B ST NE. English tried to flee but was apprehended a short time later with the assistance of a Marion County Sheriff’s Office K9 Team. A backpack was located near where English was hiding and was seized. A search warrant was obtained for the backpack, and a handgun was found inside. English is now lodged at the Marion County Jail on the following charges:
- Unlawful use of a weapon, a firearm
- Felon in possession of a firearm
- Menacing
- Reckless endangering
English will be arraigned today at 2:30 p.m. at the Marion County Criminal Court Annex.
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Originally published 07/11/2024 | 8:55 p.m.
Stolen vehicle investigation leads to four arrests
Salem, Ore. — The Felony Crime Unit investigators arrested several individuals today as part of two separate investigations involving stolen motorcycles.
The overall investigation led the detectives to a storage facility in the 1800 block of 22nd ST SE. Detectives located one of the stolen motorcycles and three suspects, two adults and a juvenile. They attempted to escape in a vehicle but were apprehended. The service of a search warrant for the involved vehicle and the storage unit resulted in the seizure of a short-barreled shotgun, a handgun, body armor, and several pieces of stolen mail.
At approximately 10:20 a.m., while detectives were still at the scene, two motorcycle riders arrived in the area in plain sight of the officers. One of the riders fired multiple gunshots into the air, then the two fled at a high rate of speed.
The suspects were spotted about 15 minutes later near State ST and Lancaster DR, and a pursuit was initiated with one of the suspects. The pursuit ended near Lancaster DR and Rickey ST SE when the fleeing suspect hit the curb and crashed the motorcycle. The suspect was quickly apprehended. The second suspect on a motorcycle was not apprehended.
Arrested at the investigation scene were Zakiry Davis, age 18 of Salem, and Natalie Genene Hefley, age 32 of Mill City. The pair were lodged at the Marion County Jail, each on motor vehicle theft charges. A 15-year-old boy involved in the incident was also detained and transported to the Marion County Juvenile Department.
Zayn Free Bristow, age 25 of Mill City, was also lodged at the Marion County Jail on the following charges:
- Unlawful use of a motor vehicle, two counts
- Possession of a stolen vehicle, two counts
- Felon in possession of body armor
- Elude
- Reckless driving
- Mail theft
- Identity theft
Arraignment follows for Bristow on Friday, July 12, at 2:30 p.m. at the Marion County Criminal Court Annex.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: July 11, 2024
Man riding a motorcycle killed in collision with a truck
Salem, Ore. — At approximately 4:45 p.m. today, Salem Police were called to the scene of a deadly collision involving a motorcycle rider and the driver of a pick-up truck.
The preliminary investigation by the Salem Police Traffic Team revealed a man riding a motorcycle was traveling eastbound on Market ST approaching 23rd ST NE. A woman driving a pick-up truck westbound on Market ST initiated a southbound turn onto 23rd ST when the motorcycle rider collided with the truck. Witnesses reported the motorcycle was traveling at a high rate of speed and struck the truck’s passenger door.
The motorcycle rider, identified as William Dale Ryan, age 44 of Salem, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The driver of the truck, 36-year-old Tania Vargas Campos of Salem, remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
Market ST between 21st and 24th STS NE was closed to all traffic for approximately two-and-a-half hours for the crash investigation.
To date in 2024, the Salem Police Traffic Team has responded to 15 major traffic collisions resulting in 15 deaths.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: July 3, 2024
Man arrested in menacing incident at Riverfront Park
Salem, Ore. — A Salem man is in custody at the Marion County Jail after he was apprehended on Tuesday for his involvement in an incident of menacing in Riverfront Park.
At approximately 7:30 a.m., a park user reported that as he walked toward a truck in the north parking lot, the male driver pointed a gun and made a threatening statement. The person retreated and called for police assistance. An officer patrolling the area arrived to find the suspect still at the scene.
The suspect, identified as Alex Thomas Morgan, age 38, was arrested. Officers seized several items found on Morgan’s person and inside the vehicle he drove, including two handguns, two sets of brass knuckles, various quantities of alprazolam tablets and a substance believed to be fentanyl, and more than $500 cash.
Morgan was lodged on the following charges:
- Menacing
- Unlawful use of a weapon
- Felon in possession of a weapon, four counts
- Delivery of a controlled substance
Arraignment proceedings will be held today at 2:30 p.m. at the Marion County Criminal Court Annex.
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See photo attachments.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: July 3, 2024
Arrest made in convenience store armed robbery
Additional suspect in custody
Update 07/03/2024 | 1:00 p.m.
A 15-year-old boy is in the custody of the Marion County Juvenile Department following his arrest today for his involvement in the June 24 armed robbery at the US Market on 12th Street in southeast Salem.
A Salem Police SWAT team apprehended the juvenile early this morning without incident at his residence in the 4300 block of Burlington LP NE.
The teenager faces charges of first-degree robbery, unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, menacing, and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
With all suspects in this violent crime investigation apprehended, all further inquiries in the case should be directed to the Marion County District Attorney’s Office.
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Originally published: 06/26/2024 | 2:15 p.m.
Arrest made in convenience store armed robbery
Salem, Ore. — Salem Police Violent Crimes Unit detectives arrested two individuals yesterday afternoon for their involvement in the robbery of a local convenience store.
On June 24, patrol officers responded to the US Market in the 2900 block of 12th ST SE at approximately 10:00 p.m. on the call of an armed robbery. Employees reported they were robbed at gunpoint by two young men who demanded cash and merchandise. The duo then fled the scene in a car.
Using surveillance video of the incident, officers identified the involved vehicle and suspects. On Tuesday afternoon, June 25, the Salem Police SWAT team served a search warrant at an apartment in the 1200 block of Peace ST SE. Barry Johnson, age 23, and a 16-year-old male juvenile were taken into custody.
A search by officers and detectives resulted in the seizure of two semi-automatic rifles, ammunition, and some of the merchandise stolen in the robbery. Detectives also determined the car used to commit the crime was a stolen vehicle.
Johnson was booked into the Marion County Jail on the following charges:
- Robbery, first-degree
- Unlawful use of a motor vehicle
The 16-year-old suspect was lodged at the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: June 28, 2024
Speed enforcement added to two intersections starting Monday
Salem, Ore. — With traffic safety as a priority, the photo enforcement program in Salem is expanding to include two high-volume intersections starting Monday, July 1.
“Our digital red light and speed enforcement programs are important tools to change driver behavior and make our streets safer,” said Deputy Chief Treven Upkes of the Field Operations Division.
Data from the existing sites indicates a steady decrease in both crashes and citations issued, even though we have experienced an overall increase in traffic volume within the city since the program was implemented in 2008.
Currently, the automated system exists at the following Salem intersections:
- Mission at 25th STS SE
- Commercial at Marion STS NE
- Silverton at Fisher RDS NE
- Center ST at Hawthorne AV NE
- Commercial ST at Madrona AV SE
- Commercial ST at Kuebler BV SE
Four of the six sites already capture red light and speeding violations. The technology to detect speed violations was implemented over time, starting at the Silverton RD site in 2019. Three more locations were added to the system in 2020.
Next week, vehicle speed detection will be enabled at the first two listed intersections that are shared with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) since they are also designated as state highways. “Our thanks to ODOT for their traffic safety partnership over the years and their assistance in activating the system at the Mission and Commercial Street locations,” added Upkes.
Each location has cameras that work in conjunction with the traffic signal to detect whether the vehicle stops for the red light or exceeds the posted speed limit. A recording of any violation detected by the system is verified by a police department staff member before a citation is sent to the vehicle’s registered owner, notifying them of the incident.
For the first month, between July 1 and 31, the system will issue only warnings to those drivers who violate the speed rule through those intersections. A provision in the Oregon statute concerning photo enforcement states citations will be issued for drivers whose speed is 11 mph over the speed limit while traveling through an intersection on a green light.
Upkes concluded, “Preventing collisions and other consequences due to speed is essential to keep Salem streets safe for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists alike.”
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