Webb ‘indigent,’ gets new trial date
The trial of Eric Raymond Webb, an Aumsville man accused of vehicular manslaughter, has again been delayed after he could no longer afford a private attorney.
On Feb. 13, former Webb attorney Mike Arnold, of Eugene, filed a notice of withdrawal in Marion County Circuit Court saying his client was “indigent” and was requesting a public defender
On Feb. 21 Judge Tracy Prall appointed Salem attorneys Zach Causey and Spencer Todd as Webb’s lawyers. Prall also reset Webb’s trial from May 13 to Oct. 14.
The May 13 trial was itself the postponement of an original Jan. 8 trial, which was reset after Webb’s first attorney Jason Short notified the court Oct. 30, 2023, their relationship had terminated. Arnold was substituted as Webb’s attorney Nov. 6, 2023.
Webb is accused of striking pedestrian Julia Aubrey Wade, 26, of Salem, with his pickup at an intersection in Salem Jan. 21, 2023. Wade died from her injuries last May.
Webb is charged with numerous felonies including first-degree manslaughter, DUII and hit-and-run and if convicted faces at least ten years in prison.
Lyons woman arrested for weapon assault
A Lyons woman has been charged with felony assault after allegedly attacking a Mill City man Feb. 2.
Ashley Nicole Blachowski, 34, was charged with second-degree assault Feb. 5 in Linn County Circuit Court for an alleged attack involving a dangerous weapon. If convicted, she faces at least 70 months in prison.
Blachowski was released from the Linn County Jail that day after posting 10 percent of $50,000 bail. She is due back in court March 18 for a hearing before Judge Brendan Kane.
Stayton man arrested for injury assaults
A Stayton man has been charged with felony assault after allegedly injuring two women during an incident Feb. 4.
Dakota Byran Selvidge, 22, was charged Feb. 5 in Linn County Circuit Court with second-degree assault and fourth-degree assault. If convicted, he faces at least 70 months in prison.
Charging documents said Selvidge allegedly caused serious injuries to one victim and minor injuries to another.
Selvidge was released from the Linn County Jail Feb. 5 after posting 10 percent of $50,000 bail.
He was tentatively scheduled to return to court March 25 before Judge Thomas McHill, pending the status of ongoing investigations into the matter.
Judge asked to rule in HP Civil suit
The judge in a lawsuit between HP Civil and its former CEO has been asked to decide the matter, with both sides claiming the case clearly leans in their favor.
In motions filed Feb. 7 and 8 in Marion County Circuit Court, former CEO Roger Silbernagel and the company’s current executives asked Judge Lindsay Partridge to rule on all claims.
Both parties said the facts supporting their cases were indisputable and a jury did not need to resolve the matter.
A hearing on the motions is set for April 5.
Silbernagel sued in 2022 for $15 million, claiming he was unjustly fired that May by President Larry Gescher and Vice President Josh Smith. The three founded HP Civil in 2014.
Silbernagel claims tensions between them were long-simmering and erupted after Gescher and Smith allegedly allowed an HP Civil employee to racially harass Silbernagel’s African American son. Silbernagel also claims he was unlawfully forced to sell his shares after being fired, and that the shares were significantly undervalued.
Gescher and Smith denied wrongdoing and countersued for $5 million.
They accused Silbernagel of breach of contract for refusing to sell his shares, and of neglecting to return a company-owned truck, laptop and iPad. They also accused him of accessing confidential company information after being fired, allegedly using these records to compete with HP Civil for project bids.
Silbernagel denied wrongdoing and claimed defendants made “representations” he could keep the truck, laptop, and iPad. He also claimed defendants waived their rights to confidentiality by waiting until months after he was let go to revoke his login credentials.
