Cornelius Pass to reopen on October 18 Page A7
National Guard farewell ceremony Page A8
Out & About-A2 • In the County-A2 • Obituaries-A3 • Opinions-A4 • Market Place-A6 • Public Notices-A6-7 • Sports-A8
Friday, October 18, 2019
The Chief
$1 Vol. 128, No. 23 8 Pages
Serving the Lower Columbia Region since 1891
CCSO K-9 brings bank robber into custody
Robert James Peterick Jr.
Clatskanie Tigers beat Taft
Courtesy photo
JULIE THOMPSON chronicle1@countrymedia.net
A would-be bank robber was taken into custody this week thanks to the work of multiple law enforcement agencies and, ultimately, a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) K-9. Just after 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 15, St. Helens police responded to the report of a robbery at the St. Helens U.S. Bank, located at 58791 S. Columbia River Highway in St. Helens. The suspect, who was later identified as Robert James Peterick, Jr., 46, of Butte, Montana, entered the bank and produced a note demanding money. Peterick then fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of money to a vehicle parked a short distance away. According to the St. Helens Police Department (SHPD), no one reported seeing a weapon during the robbery and there were no injuries reported as a result of the robbery. Police located Peterick’s vehicle and attempted to stop it, but Peterick failed to yield and proceeded to lead police on a chase westbound on Highway 30 towards Rainier. When his vehicle became disabled, Peterick fled on foot. The CCSO then deployed a K-9 to track him, and he was subsequently taken into custody after sustaining minor injuries from a dog bite. Peterick was transported to a Portland-area hospital for medical treatment for his injuries. According to CCSO Captain Tony Weaver, it was a fairly quick capture for their K-9, Lars, who has been with the agency for around five years. “I would say it took about a minute. He tracked him first and then apprehended him,” Weaver said. “He’s taught to bite and hold in place. He bit the suspect - I believe it was his left arm around
See ROBBER Page A4
Photos: Max Kirkendall
Junior Josh Quevido and senior Timber Zea converge on a Taft ball carrier to make the tackle. See A8 for article.
Call center jobs coming to Columbia County CHRISTINE MENGES chronicle2@countrymedia.net
More jobs are coming to Columbia County. At the end of this month, 17 jobs will be posted on Workday, a website run by the state of Oregon, which can be found at: https:// www.oregon.gov/das/hr/pages/ workday.aspx, to work in a call center set to be stationed in St. Helens. Amy Youngflesh, District Manager for the Oregon Department of Human Services, said the department will be hiring locally, from both Columbia and Clatsop counties. Interested candidates can apply throughout the month of November. Those who qualify will do in-person interviews in December. Once candidates are hired, they will do on-the-job training, and will officially start work in March of 2020. “We’re going to hire 17 people, in what’s called a benefit and eligibility worker, no college degree required,” Youngflesh said, adding candidates should have good customer service, because they will be interviewing Oregonians from all over the state for benefits. Those who get the job will be calling customers, verifying information, double-checking benefit applications and issuing benefits, Youngflesh said. They will be equipped with a computer with two monitors, a phone and a headset.
File photo
The call center will be set up at the Department of Human Services, located in the office space of the former Legacy Clinic at 500 N. Columbia River Highway.
Within the 17 positions, there will be two customer services guides, who will be support staff that will be making sure the schedule board is accurate, reviewing documents ahead of time and supporting the benefit and eligibility workers on the phone, according to Youngflesh. For the benefit and eligibility workers, starting wage is $2,990 per month with full benefits. For the support staff, starting wage will range between $2,561 to $2,642 per month, with full benefits. Both jobs will work Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. “There’s a significant amount
of training you get after you get hired,” Youngflesh said. “The training is all paid, and benefits start right away.” Youngflesh, who oversees District 1, which comprises Clatsop, Columbia and Tillamook counties, is in charge of child welfare self-sufficiency programs, such as SNAP benefits and childcare. Right now, if someone is in need of benefits, that person must direct themselves to the specific program that is right for their situation. With the new software system, Youngflesh said, “There’s no ‘wrong door’ for anyone who needs assistance. This ONE system
is this portal where you can log in, and you can explain your situation, and there’s this search engine that gets your benefits done immediately and accurately.” The software system is something the state of Oregon purchased two and a half years ago from the state of Kentucky, and is now in the beta stage for fine-tuning, Youngflesh explained. All the computer work necessary to facilitate the new software system is part of another program that Gov. Kate Brown implemented to bring more jobs to rural areas, Youngflesh said. So far, call centers have opened in Coos County, Western Hillsboro, Tillamook, Astoria and Pendleton. “She really targeted rural areas, because the jobs pay really well, so that’s what this initiative has been the last year,” Youngflesh said. In District 1, Youngflesh said, there have been 25 people hired in Tillamook, and 15 people hired in Astoria. Youngflesh stressed that the new center, which will be set up in the office buildings at 500 N. Columbia River Highway in St. Helens, will be using local hires. “We really want to hire from Columbia and Caltsop counties, because the commute is pretty reasonable,” Youngflesh said. “These call centers are throughout the state, they’re very specifically in rural areas, that’s something the governor really wanted to invest in.”
Update: Official shooting info still scarce JULIE THOMPSON chronicle1@countrymedia.net
Information is still scarce surrounding a shooting that reportedly began at the St. Helens Chevron early Wednesday, Oct. 9, which ultimately led to the death of the suspect due to law enforcement’s use of deadly force. St. Helens Police Department (SHPD) officers responded to a report of a shooting at approximately 5:26 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at the St. Helens Chevron located at 115 N. Columbia River Highway. According to the Oregon State Police (OSP), the lead investigating agency on the case, the officers located the vehicle suspected of being involved in the shooting, and when they attempted to contact the driver, it fled down Highway 30 towards
Deer Island. Officers pursued until the suspect’s vehicle became disabled near milepost 35, where the suspect attempted to flee on foot. It was then the SHPD officer used deadly force, resulting in the suspect’s death. The deceased suspect was later identified as Michael Thomas Veatch, 32, of Washington. Veatch made the news in early April when he was picked up by law enforcement following the fatal shooting of Cowlitz County Deputy Justin DeRosier. Veatch’s brother, Matthew Veatch, was facing charges of first-degree rendering criminal assistance. However, police said at the time that Michael Veatch was arrested on a warrant unreleated to the investigation. Officials did not reveal what role, if any, the Veatch brothers played in DeRosier’s death.
Veatch was confirmed deceased at the scene and the ensuing investigation caused the prolonged closure of a portion of Highway 30 between milepost 35 and 36 for approximately a mile around the area. It remained closed until around 6 p.m. As is policy, the SHPD officer involved in the fatality has been placed on administrative leave. OSP said detectives are investigating the report of shots being fired from the suspect vehicle prior to, and during the pursuit. “This was a very dynamic situation with several incident scenes, numerous witnesses, and a large volume of evidence,” OSP said via press release. “In an effort to maintain the integrity of the investigation, information is being withheld until OSP can ensure that witnesses
have been interviewed, next of kin notification made and outstanding victims identified and questioned.” While multiple news outlets have reported various details surrounding the incident, none of those details have been officially confirmed by law enforcement. When asked how the shooting incident began, whether it was considered a robbery or an active shooter, if further injuries were reported, or how, exactly, Veatch was killed, OSP said they would not be releasing further information at this time. Anyone with any additional information related to the incident is asked to please call the OSP at 503-375-3555 or 1-800-442-0776. The Chief will update this story as new information becomes available.