Former Corvallis city council member Mark Page did not appear for a pre-trial hearing on Thursday, July 25, earning a reprimand from the judge for instead calling in by phone.
“We typically require people to appear in person, especially for trial readiness,” said Benton County Circuit Judge Joan Demarest.
Page’s lawyer, Tom Hill, claims Page still lives in Corvallis and is simply out of town. Hill said Page’s absence would not delay the formal start of his trial, set for August 5.
Page faces felony charges for unlawful use of a weapon and misdemeanor counts of menacing, harassment, and seven counts of reckless endangerment from an incident in July 2018 outside Page’s home on Southwest Touchstone Place.
Police were called in around 10 pm after receiving reports of a “domestic dispute,” and “a man with a gun.” According to their investigation, Page began a fight with a man named Steven Robinson, Page’s brother-in-law. After breaking away from Robinson, Page went into his house, retrieved a loaded handgun, came back out and began threatening Robinson with the gun. Robinson’s wife and seven children were also in the car nearby.
According to the police report, Page began chasing Robinson around the car with Robinson’s family inside, Page allegedly saying “I’m gonna put two in you tonight” and “I’m gonna kill you.” The seven reckless endangerment charges stem from the allegation that Page pointed the gun at the inside of the car.
Oregon Department of Justice prosecutor Amy Seely told Judge Demarest that Robinson informed her that Page had actually moved to Las Vegas, but Demarest apparently did not pursue the question.
By Ian MacRonald
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