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‘Peace in the valley’
From Dave Korrell
Cave Junction

I would like to bust some myths and misconceptions about the May 26 incident at Art’s Red Garter.

First and foremost myth: The Illinois Valley High School wrestling team was involved. Not true. In my interview with Channel 5, I implicated the whole team, and I very much regret my phrasing of that statement. I should have said that one or even some of them were from the team and not that the team was involved.

But when the young men involved were taunting the bouncer during the first incident of the night, they were proudly boasting about being “State Champion” wrestlers. This is not hearsay -- I heard it with my own ears. These angry young men came for a fight, and the bouncer was the target.

Had sheriff’s deputies not shown up in an amazingly short time (less than three minutes I believe) there would have been bloodshed during that incident. Then, after the later attack of the night, a “State Champion” wrestling medallion was found on the parking lot at the scene of the attack, either pulled off someone’s neck or left as a calling card, I am not sure.

But the fact remains that neither coach Jay Miller nor the IVHS wrestling team were involved in any way, and I regret implicating them.

Second myth: “I am pressing Measure 11 charges on the attackers.” Not true. I do not have the power to press or drop any charges; criminal charges can only be referred to the district attorney by an officer of the law. Then based on evidence presented, the D.A. decides if criminal charges should be filed.

I have no more control over if and what charges get filed than Miller had over who I say is one of his former students attacking me and my friends.

Third myth: “I wanted Miller to implicate his students on hearsay.” Not true. There was one, possibly two key pieces of evidence (truth) that Miller had or easily could have come by that are in no way hearsay. One, “Who did the State Champion medallion belong to?” For all I know it could have been stolen and deliberately left to implicate an innocent person, or even torn from the neck of a Good Samaritan wrestler attempting to help save our lives.

But my point is that Miller would be far more likely than I to know who it belonged to. I couldn’t even say how many of our fine wrestling team got medals this year, let alone the names of those who did, which I find a little sad as I am one who supported them and was proud of their accomplishments.

Secondly, one of the attackers was bitten on one arm badly enough that it would have been immediately noticed by anyone who came in contact with him. I don’t know if that person was even a student, let alone a wrestler, so it may be that Miller has no more idea who that person is than I do. But I am sure that at least a few people in the valley know who he is.

Fourth myth: “I am some newbie in the valley just stirring up trouble.” Not true. Although I did not go to IVHS, and I only returned four years ago, my family tree has two branches in this valley reaching back four and more generations. As to the stirring up trouble, I work at the Red Garter. I did not go looking for them; they came to me, and some continue to stalk and threaten me to this day.

I’m no tough guy, looking to settle anything. I am just an old wimpy DJ who wants to raise his 3-year-old son and make people happy and help them celebrate whatever event or milestone with the music that I play.

Many have praised me for my courage in standing up to what they call thugs. There was and is no courage involved. I simply defended myself and told the truth to the best of my recollection to the officer investigating. Others scorn, threaten and even stalk me with intent of doing me harm and to quote a couple of direct threats, “Take me out,” ”Finish me” and/or “Beat me down.”

And for what? Not curling into the fetal position and letting them kick and beat me to death? Or maybe for not perjuring myself and lying to police to keep them from being prosecuted for a crime that I say they clearly committed.

I am not seeking vengeance through violence or legal action. In fact I feel that this could have been settled before anyone got hurt had the officer on duty done the bare minimum his job required, and issued “Disorderly Conduct” tickets to the car load of them he pulled over moments after the first incident.

He didn’t do that, and I feel therefore that he did us a disservice. Had he issued tickets, I believe the second incident, in which I am claiming a major concussion and permanent and irreversible brain damage, could have been avoided. It is my statement that my injuries are due to being stomped and kicked in the head by three young men while another was holding me to the ground yelling, “Get the gun” (presumably to “Take me out” or “Finish me”).

The result of the deputy’s inaction in the first incident caused what would have been a “traffic ticket” to escalate to possible felony charges for these young men who have been described to me as good kids who made a mistake.

Maybe that is true, but if I were killed, would I be any more dead if these were evil monsters? No, dead is dead. My son would still be without a daddy and still much of his daddy is gone due to what I say is the real, not imaginary, damage to my memory and emotional state.

Did my child deserve this? This should have been stopped before it happened, and in my opinion the officer responding to the first call had the ability to do just that and chose not to act except for taking reports (I assume he did that); then allowed through his inaction for me and others to be hurt, and the young men to be facing possible felony charges instead of a misdemeanor.

This did not serve or protect anyone. Everybody involved was harmed by his inaction. Enough harm has come to all involved (assuming charges will be filed eventually). I have not nor do I intend to seek out those I say harmed me for any vengeance. If those who are threatening and stalking me would “let it rest” so would I.

If the sheriff’s office chooses to press charges I cannot stop it from doing so.

“Beating me down” or even killing me will not change that. The only possible outcome of the threats being carried out is more criminal charges, more physical injury or even death. I have no desire to do harm to or take anyone’s life, nor do I wish to be killed or further injured. Is this so hard to believe?

If what it takes to stop this is for me to “tap out” -- OK, I cry “Uncle,” they win, they kicked my butt, they’re tougher than me. So will those still planning to do me harm just let me live my life? I am not a threat to them, nor do I want to be. I just want to live in peace and raise my son in a safe and respectable town. There are too many genuinely good people in this community for such a small handful to give this community its well-deserved bad reputation.

The bottom line is, I just want peace in the valley; to be able to go to the grocery store and not get “jumped” on the parking lot as I leave; to be able to do the job I love and make people happy with music, without an armed guard walking me to and from my car to prevent me from being “taken out” as has been threatened.