La Grande man gets prison time
Sentence closes out deadly June Jordan Valley incident
By Katie Pizza
Argus Observer
Wednesday, October 22, 2008 10:13 AM PDT
Vale — A La Grande man charged in the death of a Vale resident was sentenced to 40 months in jail Tuesday morning in the Malheur County Circuit Court.
Justin E. Moore, 34, was charged with one count of criminally negligent homicide, a Class C felony, in the death of John Levanger, 40, June 28 outside a Jordan Valley tavern.
Malheur County Circuit Court Judge J. Burdette Pratt also sentenced Moore to three years post-prison time, Malheur County Deputy District Attorney Erin Landis said. Moore is also sentenced to pay $8,000 in funeral costs.
Landis said there will be another restitution hearing slated to occur at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 3.
This hearing will determine the amount of Levanger’s medical costs Moore will pay.
Levanger died after getting into an altercation with Moore outside the Jordan Valley Cafe and Bar, situated at 701 Main St. Levanger was transported to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, where he died July 2.
The case hit several roadblocks in the trial when neither the defense or the prosecution were not able to obtain autopsy photographs of Levanger. The issue has since been resolved.
In other court news, Marcos Delafuente, 34, Ontario, who was originally slated to appear before a judge Friday, had his hearing postponed until 8:30 a.m. Dec. 19. Delafuente is charged with one count of murder in connection with the August death of Apolonia Deleon, 20, Nyssa.
In other public safety news:
The Ontario Police Department cited a New Plymouth man for careless driving after he ran into two houses Friday afternoon.
Christopher Greene, 34, was driving his 1986 Ford pickup in the 700 block of N. Dorian Drive when he hit the corner of a garage before continuing on to hit the support beams on the porch of a second home at 1 p.m. Friday.
OPD Capt. Mark Alexander said he believed Greene was speeding based on the citation and reports from nearby witnesses. The Ontario Police Department also responded to an assault at 2:45 a.m. Sunday at Denny’s Restaurant, situated at 76 N.E. Goodfellow St.
Daniel McDaniels, 34, Ontario, was arrested and charged with assault in the four-degree after police say he hit a 32-year-old restaurant manager from Ontario in the face.
“(McDaniels) got into a dispute over some alleged remarks the manager made towards some people that were with Daniel,” Alexander said.
Johns Family wrote on Nov 15, 2008 7:42 AM: