A 48-year-old Stayton man is facing a first-degree assault charge after a shooting near Fifth Avenue and Santiam Street left another man with a gunshot wound Friday evening. Police say the victim was rushed to the hospital by ambulance, and investigators spent the following day tracking down the people involved before making an arrest.
According to KATU, dispatchers first received a 911 call reporting an altercation near Fifth Avenue and Santiam Street, and that call was quickly upgraded to a report of shots fired. Officers arrived at 5:37 p.m. and requested medical aid, but the station reports that the suspects had already left the scene by the time police got there. The adult male victim suffered a gunshot wound and was taken by ambulance to a hospital; police have not released his condition.
Investigators Track a Vehicle and Two Suspects
Investigators developed two suspects in the case and worked with several local agencies to identify and locate a vehicle of interest, per the same account. That work led police to detain one person of interest on Saturday, though that individual was later released. Officers instead took 48-year-old Scott Poindexter into custody Saturday in connection with the shooting.
Poindexter has been charged with first-degree assault, unlawful use of a firearm, and recklessly endangering another person, the station notes. Police have said there are no outstanding suspects in the case. His case has been referred to the Marion County District Attorney's Office. According to Salem Reporter, Paige Clarkson has announced she will retire when her current term ends.
What a Conviction Could Mean for Poindexter
The first-degree assault charge is the most serious count Poindexter faces, and it carries steep consequences under Oregon law. First-degree assault is classified as a Class A felony under ORS 163.185, according to the G.R. Johnson Law Firm, carrying a maximum potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of as much as $375,000. The charge requires proving intentional serious physical injury caused with a deadly weapon.
First-degree assault is among the offenses covered by Oregon's Measure 11 sentencing law. Per Gilroy Napoli Short Law Group, Measure 11 was enacted by Oregon voters in 1994.
Poindexter's other two charges carry additional exposure. Unlawful use of a weapon is a Class C felony under ORS 166.220, punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $125,000, according to the Oregon Gun Law site, and one subsection applies to intentionally discharging a firearm within city limits; the statute also covers using or threatening to use a weapon and firing at or toward a vehicle or structure. Recklessly endangering another person is a Class A misdemeanor under ORS 163.195, according to Romano Law, carrying a maximum of up to 364 days in jail and a $6,250 fine, and it requires proof that conduct created a substantial risk of serious physical injury.
A Rare Case of Gunfire for the Santiam Canyon Hub
Poindexter is expected to be arraigned at the Marion County Criminal Court Annex, located at 4000 Aumsville Highway SE in Salem, per the Oregon Judicial Department.
Stayton is a city.
The identity and role of the person of interest who was detained and later released has not been disclosed by police, and the specific nature of the altercation that preceded the gunfire remains under investigation. The victim's condition and identity also have not been released.
