Michael Ryan Van Gelder, 30, of Lebanon, was sentenced Oct. 25 to 24 months of
supervised probation after he was convicted on charges related to a knife attack on a man near 809 S. Main St. on Sept. 28.
He pled no contest to the charge of unlawful use of a weapon and pled guilty to charges of menacing and fourth-degree assault.
In addition to probation, Van Gelder was ordered to report to Linn County Mental Health for a mental health assessment and to complete any recommended treatment, according to court documents.
Van Gelder is not allowed to have contact with the victim of the attack, Elizah F. Bullock, or to possess weapons. He also was sentenced to 10 days in jail, time for which he was credited.
A charge of second-degree disorderly conduct was dropped.
Lebanon Police officers responded to a report of a disturbance near 809 S. Main St. at 7 p.m. on Sept. 28. Officers were advised that someone involved in the disturbance was injured, and that a male with a knife was being held at gunpoint by a bystander, according to an LPD statement. The bystander had a valid concealed-carry permit.
Before officers arrived, several other bystanders had disarmed and detained Van Gelder.
Police said that Van Gelder had been riding his skateboard north-bound on Main Street. While attempting to cross Grant Street, he initiated a verbal altercation with the driver of a vehicle, identified as Bullock.
Bullock stopped in the immediate area and was confronted by Van Gelder, who displayed a large, fixed-blade knife toward Bullock, who was on his way to pick up his daughter from dance class at the time.
A bystander, who was a patron of a business near the altercation, witnessed Van Gelder with the knife; he drew his concealed firearm and demanded that Van Gelder drop the knife.
Van Gelder attempted to flee the area and was physically detained by Bullock and another bystander.
Bullock was assaulted by Van Gelder while he was attempting to detain him. Bullock went to Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital where he received three stitches.
Walmart Gunman
An Albany man faces a wide variety of charges following an incident on Nov. 8 in which he allegedly showed up at the Lebanon Walmart with a handgun, prompting police to evacuate the store.
Samuel F. Ayres, 19, was arrested on Nov. 9 and faces charges for domestic menacing, unlawful use of a weapon, second-degree disorderly conduct, coercion and second-degree
criminal mischief.
There are additional charges of unlawful dissemination of an intimate image and harassment, according to court documents.
According to Lebanon Police Department, officers responded to a call from a Walmart employee at about 9:04 p.m. on Nov. 8. The employee was at work when she said she received a text message from Ayres, her former boyfriend, stating that he was going to kill her. The text message included a photo of his hand pointing a handgun at the store, according to an LPD news release.
When officers arrived, Ayres messaged her again, telling her he could see the police cars, according to the LPD. At that point, it was unknown if Ayres had made his way into the store or if he was in the parking lot.
As a precaution, LPD evacuated the entire area, including the store, and took the caller to a safe location.
Several law enforcement agencies including Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police and the Albany Police Department arrived to assist in searching and clearing the building and surrounding areas.
Several K-9 officers, who happened to be training in a neighboring city, also arrived and
assisted in searching the area.
During the police activity, it was learned Ayres had fled the area to an unknown location, LPD said.
Police continued the search and allowed the workers to return to Walmart after they determined the area was safe.
On Nov. 9, LPD learned that Ayres was potentially at his residence on Del Rio Drive in Albany.
As officers and detectives came into the area of the residence, Ayres was seen exiting his residence and getting into the passenger seat of a vehicle.
The vehicle drove towards Lebanon.
Lebanon officers were able to locate the vehicle on Denny School Road and executed a high-risk traffic stop due to the nature of threats Ayres had made the night prior, as well as the possibility that he may have been armed.
It was at this time that Ayres was taken into custody without incident or injury. He was transported to the Lebanon Jail and then to Linn County Jail.
Ayres was arraigned in Linn County Court on Nov. 13. His bail for the menacing charge was set at $30,000. A no contact order was issued on Nov. 13. It states that in the event of release, Ayres is prohibited from contacting the victim, her residence and the Lebanon Walmart. As of Nov. 16, Ayres was still lodged at Linn County Jail. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 27.
Lebanon man faces charges
A Lebanon man is facing a variety of theft, burglary and weapons charges after his arrest early on Nov. 14 by Linn County Sheriff’s deputies.
Ryan Kenneth Garman, 28, has been charged with first-degree burglary, first-degree theft,
first-degree theft of a firearm, unlawful carrying a concealed weapon and outstanding warrants for contempt of court, second-degree theft and failure to comply.
Sheriff Bruce Riley said deputies had responded to a report of a car break-in on Nov. 13 on Santiam Hwy in Lebanon.
Items including a Glock 9mm handgun were stolen from victim’s vehicle. The theft was reported to have occurred sometime the night before.
At 2:16 a.m. on the morning of Nov. 14, a patrol lieutenant stopped a man riding a bicycle on Gore Drive for not having a bicycle Garman light. The lieutenant also knew of several property crimes that had recently occurred in the area, Riley said.
When the lieutenant contacted the man, the man initially gave him a fake name and was acting very nervous. After further investigation, the officer learned the man’s real name was Ryan Garman and he had outstanding warrants for his arrest.
Riley said as the lieutenant was detaining Mr. Garman, he began to reach in his waistband.
The officer was able to get control of the man and get him into handcuffs.
He discovered Garman was concealing the stolen 9mm handgun in his waistband where he was reaching, Riley said.
After he was detained, Garman cooperated and took deputies back to his residence where more stolen property was found, Riley said.
Further investigation revealed Garman was also responsible for a burglary on Gore Drive, reported on Nov. 9, in which a competition bow was stolen. The bow was recovered Nov. 14 in Noti.
Garman was arrested and was lodged at the Linn County Jail.
Deputies are continuing to investigate and more charges are pending, Riley said.
Sex abuse charges
Douglas James Young, Jr., 46, faces 40 sex-abuse related charges.
A settlement conference scheduled for Nov. 14 was canceled after an early resolution conference was held on Nov. 8.
A plea/sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 9, 2018.
Young was first arrested on March 14 on five counts of first-degree sex abuse and four counts of second-degree sex abuse.
He was arraigned on March 15 before Linn County Circuit Judge David E. Delsman. His bail was set at $150,000.
He posted bail on March 15, was arrested again the next day and was arraigned in Linn County Circuit Court on March 17 on 34 more counts of sex abuse.
He posted bail again, which was set at an additional $150,000 for a total of $300,000, on March 17, with a condition of his release to not have contact with the alleged victims or their families or unsupervised contact with children.
The Lebanon Police Department has had contact with Young over the past 12 years, including twice for alleged sex abuse. No charges were filed in those instances.
Following are updates on local individuals whose criminal cases are, or have been in the courts.
Assault against toddler
Sheena Greathouse, 27, of Sweet Home, pled guilty to third-degree assault charges related to an Oct. 24 incident in Lebanon.
She was lodged at the Linn County Jail but posted bail on Nov. 2.
Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 27.
Lebanon Police officers responded to the area of South Main and Walker Roads for a report of child abuse in progress at about 3:46 p.m. on Oct. 24, according to a news release.
According to multiple callers, a female adult had assaulted a small child before throwing him into the bushes.
Officers arrived shortly after the calls came in. The investigation confirmed Greathouse assaulted her 4-year-old son.
Officers took the 4-year-old into protective custody and Department of Human Services was called to assist.
The child sustained small scratches and a contusion to his head, and per protocol, was seen
by medical professionals. He was released to DHS.
Assault with car
Melissa Louise Bennett, 35, of Vida, is charged with second-degree assault in connection
with a vehicle-versus-pedestrian crash in Lebanon on Oct. 8.
Bennett is accused of running over her brother Derrick James Freeman, 21, of Vida, in the Walmart parking lot.
Department of Human Services staff was called to assist, as there were two minor children in the vehicle at the time of the altercation.
Bennett was arraigned on Oct. 9. Her next court hearing is scheduled for Nov. 20. She is lodged in Linn County Jail.
New murder trial date scheduled
Jason Garlinghouse’s murder trial is scheduled for eight days, starting on May 15, 2018.
His trial was originally scheduled to begin Sept. 25.
Garlinghouse, 33, of Lebanon, faces a murder charge in connection with the Feb. 14, 2017 death of his estranged wife, Sparki Garlinghouse.
Jason and Sparki Garlinghouse were in the process of divorcing and living in separate residences.
They were scheduled for an early resolution conference on Feb. 24, 2017.
LPD had contact with the Garlinghouses at least six times since September of 2016 regarding custody and other divorce-related issues, according to police reports.