Man accused of assaulting his mother, tussling with police

Published 10:39 am Monday, April 19, 2021

A Huntington man was arrested Saturday evening on multiple charges for allegedly assaulting his mother and then struggling with police after they were called to the scene of a disturbance near Huntington.

William Cody Crews, 46, of 29886 Malheur Line Road, is in the Baker County Jail.

Crews was charged today with fourth-degree assault and interfering with a peace officer, both Class A misdemeanors, and harassment, a Class B misdemeanor.

District Attorney Greg Baxter said he is considering other potential charges against Crews, including assaulting a police officer.

The case will go to a grand jury, Baxter said on Monday afternoon, April 19.

A press release issued Monday morning by the Baker County Sheriff’s Office stated that Crews had been charged with assaulting a public safety officer.

Baxter said he decided not to include that charge initially because he couldn’t, for now, substantiate that Crews “intentionally or knowingly” harmed a police officer.

The incident started with a 911 call at about 8:49 p.m. Saturday regarding an “active disturbance” happening at 29886 Malheur Line Road, according to the press release from the Sheriff’s Office.

That property is owned by Crews’ parents, and Crews lives in a camp trailer on the property, according to a written report Sheriff’s Deputy Talon Colton.

Colton wrote that after he arrived at the property about 9:43 p.m., he tried to talk to Crews, and “a struggle ensued” between the two. Colton wrote that he “drove (Crews) backwards to the couch and ultimately onto the floor where he was placed in handcuffs.”

Colton wrote that he later talked to Crews’ mother, Paula, and father, Bill, and to another man, Johnny Scott Weldon, who told Colton that he also had an altercation with William Crews.

Paula Crews told Colton that prior to police arriving, her son had wrapped his arms around her and secured her wrists, and that she had fallen down with her son landing on her. She also told Colton that William Crews had dragged her through the house by her arm and her hair.

According to Colton’s report, Bill Crews and Weldon tried to help Paula Crews, and both had a physical altercation with William Crews.

Colton wrote that when he arrived at the jail, Crews tried to run away from him and from Cpl. Dennis Lefever, and then “resisted the entire way to the cell.”

Lefever sustained an injury to the big toe on his left foot that caused minor bleeding, according to Colton’s report.

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