Accounts of incident outside CJ bar differ widely
From our weekly issue dated June 4, 2008
This still image from surveillance video shows part of the group involved in the melee. (Video provided)
Details vary tremendously, depending on the source, but a “scuffle” early Monday morning, May 26 outside a Downtown Cave Junction bar has some Illinois Valley residents hopping mad.
Community perceptions that “the wrestling team” from Illinois Valley High School was involved are totally incorrect and inappropriate, according to team coach Jay Miller, and longtime supporter Jerry Sommers.
The latter noted that he is aware that four students, who were on the team that captured the state championship this school year, were involved. Others in the group, accused of attacking the three adults, are not known, he said. He and Miller stated emphatically that the actions of all those involved are not condoned, but that to crucify a team for the actions of a few is wrong.
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The incident, captured on surveillance video, seems to involve some prominent IVHS student-athletes in a physical confrontation resulting in minor injuries to an employee and two patrons at Art’s Red Garter Steakhouse & Saloon. The school is taking no action against the students involved, saying that it happened off-campus.
Josephine County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) on Monday, June 2 forwarded its investigation to the district attorney, who will decide if charges will be filed.
“People are pissed and I’m pissed,” said Miller, who has put in more than 30 years working with youth in the wrestling program. “What happened is not right,” he said. “None of the boys should have been out at the time of the morning.
“This is a terrible situation, one that we hope will not set back the wrestling program. We have had so much support from the community, and we don’t want to suffer a setback due to incorrect assumptions that ‘the team’ was involved.”
He noted that at a wrestling team car wash Saturday, May 31 in Cave Junction, some adults drove up and used foul language. Some IVHS students were washing cars, as were some younger students coming up to the program. Miller said that it was disheartening to hear the youth being inappropriately and offensively cussed at and accused of wrongdoing.
Cpl. Joel Heller, of JCSO, who responded twice on the morning of the incident to calls at the Red Garter, said that both sides are pointing fingers. However, bar employees, patrons and parents agree: The boys, whether IVHS students or not, had no business being at the saloon. Although exactly what motivated the attack is unclear, it’s been said that one or more of those involved had at some time that weekend slipped into the bar – perhaps using a fake ID – and were angry when the bouncer discovered his mistake and threw them out.
This claim -- and others by the adults at the bar -- are strongly disputed by three of the boys involved, according to Sommers.
Damage to a large window at the restaurant, and other similar harm to the building, were not caused by the IVHS students, Miller and Sommers declare. Sommers said that he believes the boys’ report about being allowed in to the bar earlier and being made to leave later by the bouncers.
Further, that because of bristling at being physically pushed out, the bouncers told them to come back at 2 a.m. The implication is that there would be a fight to settle the matter.
All that is disputed unequivocally by owner Linda Sallman and manager Dave Malone. Sallman said that under-age persons are not allowed in, and that she and her staff work hard to meet laws under the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.
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There can be no doubt, in viewing the time-stamped video, that a large gang of youths was present around midnight. The first call for assistance came from the Red Garter at 12:18 a.m., when it was reported that a large group of teen-agers was at the back door, attempting to start fights with patrons.
As can be seen clearly on the video, several had removed their shirts as though ready to brawl, and were milling outside the back entrance to the bar. As a deputy pulled into the parking lot, they scattered.
One carload of teen-agers was interviewed briefly in a parked car near the CJ Post Office, but the deputy told them to “go home.”
Witnesses who saw the deputy release the vehicle were shocked and angry.
“We told (the deputy) they were going to come back,” said Tyler Schaffer, who was among those injured. “He told us, ‘If they show up, you guys handle it, and call us when you’re done’.”
By 2:09 a.m., youths had returned, and employees at the Red Garter were back with the 911 call-taker. According to Dave Korrell, a DJ who’d been at work in the bar that evening, and one of three persons injured in the melee, “We were out there trying to diffuse the situation so we could just go home,” but it became clear Korrell said, “a fight was going to happen.”
In the dark edges of the surveillance camera purview, a loose group of belligerent persons can be seen arguing.
A punch is thrown, and the group breaks apart into separate knots of furious action while perhaps a dozen or more youths can be made out milling around in the background. Despite claims that bats were used, no weapons are visible in the video.
The entire altercation lasted as long as one minute, 15 seconds, during which time Korrell was knocked to the ground and sustained several blows to the head. Also injured were Korrell’s assistant and a patron, Schaffer, who were similarly taken to the ground and repeatedly kicked.
“This wasn’t a fight, it was a mob-style gang attack,” said Korrell. “It was premeditated to the point that they went out to get more people. If we had not fought back as tenaciously as we did,” he said, “we would have been hospitalized.
“It’s not the bar’s fault. We were doing what was right,” Korrel said. “We wouldn’t let the kids come in and drink. I don’t see what they thought they were going to accomplish here. Did they think they could beat us up and we would let them come in and drink?”
After Korrell and his friends worked their way clear, they went back into the bar. At that point, he said, the situation escalated as the youths beat on locked doors and the walls of the building.
“They had us barricaded in the bar,” Korrel said. “They were kicking doors, pounding the walls, throwing rocks and breaking windows for 20 minutes before the cops got there.”
As seen in the video, the group of young men ran amok outside until deputies arrived.
Malone was grim-faced and angry when asked about the situation a few days later.
“I’ve seen the pictures,” he said. “I’ve heard some (of the boys’ relatives) say, ‘Well, kids will be kids’.”
Clearly disgusted, Malone disagreed. “This was past mischievous, this was assault, to hurt,” he stated.
Sommers said that he believes so strongly what the boys state that he will personally pay for an attorney if charges are filed.
