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Friday, March 29, 2024

Shovel-wielding Umatilla man arrested after fight at homeless camp

Christopher Brad Patterson

An Umatilla man was arrested after he allegedly struck another man with a shovel during an altercation at a homeless camp.

Christopher Brad Patterson, 43, was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after the incident, which happened Sunday night at the camp on SE Highway 42 in Umatilla.

A Marion County sheriff’s deputy responded to the Green Acres Country Store, 25300 SE Highway 42, where the victim said he got into a fight with Patterson at the camp. The victim said he awakened by Patterson and his wife, who were making noise. He said he went to Patterson’s tent and asked them to keep it down because he was sleeping, according to the sheriff’s office report.

The victim said Patterson came out of his tent, got in is face, and started yelling at him. He said Patterson grabbed a square metal shovel with a PVC handle, raised it up and struck him in the left thigh reason. The deputy observed a red laceration on the victim’s thigh that was consistent with being struck with a shovel, the report said.

Deputies responded to the camp and met with Patterson, who said the victim was the one who was screaming and yelling and keeping him and his wife awake. Patterson said he got out of bed, left his tent and confronted the victim. He said the victim started to curse him out and got in his face, according to the report.

Patterson said the victim pushed him over a brown plastic chair, causing him to fall to the ground. He said he got up, walked over to his tent, grabbed the shovel and threw it at the victim. Patterson said the shovel never struck the victim. The deputy didn’t observe any physical injuries on Patterson, who said he didn’t want to file charges against the victim, the report said.

Patterson’s wife said she and Patterson woke up to the sound of the victim screaming and yelling. She said Patterson got out of bed, left the tent and told the victim to keep the noise down. Patterson’s wife said she saw the victim get in Patterson’s face and curse at him. She said the victim pushed Patterson over a brown plastic chair and onto the ground. Patterson’s wife said she didn’t’ see any part of the interaction where the metal shovel was used, according to the report.

Based on the physical evidence and testimonies provided, the deputy placed Patterson under arrest and took him to the Marion County Jail. He’s being held on $5,000 bond and will appear in Marion County Court on March 3.