C M C M Y K Y K GOLDEN GIRLS Allison Felix, B1 Women’s volleyball, B2 Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878 THURSDAY,AUGUST 9, 2012 theworldlink.com I 75¢ Faith Collision healing with fate Facebook fans reunite mom with driver who saved her teen son BY JESSIE HIGGINS The World The second that Beth Keller arrived at the crash scene, all she wanted was to take her son home. Seventeen-year-old Ryan Esparza had been crossing a street when a car forcefully rear-ended the car that had stopped to let him cross. “He called and said, ‘Mom, I almost got hit by a car. I’m talking to the police right now,’”Keller recalled. Later, with her son safely home, Keller realized that the woman who had yielded at the crosswalk may have saved her boy’s life. Read Beth Keller’s “If she hadn’t stopped, my son Facebook post at might have been crossing when that www.facebook.com/the- car came through,”Keller said. worldnewspaper. “My son does a lot for the com- munity. He’s the football team captain (at North Bend High School), he does volunteer work, he’s a really good boy. Losing a child, I just couldn’t handle that.” Thank you, who? Keller wanted to thank the mystery woman, but didn’t know her name and could barely recall, in the excitement of the event, what the driver looked like. So at 9 p.m. Aug. 1, she posted a short note to The World’s Facebook page: Photos by Benjamin Brayfield, The World “I want to thank my hero of the day!” it said, then First United Methodist Church choir leads the congregation in song during a vigil mourning the loss of their building in a fire Tuesday.Top: Evening briefly described the wreck. sun illuminates the inside of the First United Methodist Church a day after the building was destroyed in a fire Tuesday. SEE FACEBOOK | A10 First United Methodist Church Pastor Jerry Steele leads his congrega- tion in prayer during a vigil mourning the loss of their building in a fire Tuesday. Despite the First United Methodist Church build- ing burning down,“The church is not the building, it’s the congregation,”Steele said. By Jessie Higgins, The World Beth Keller, left, and Krystie Chappelle met Wednesday in Boynton Park. Pair appear for Cement truck cleaning ‘drug-fueled sparks complaint, fix crime spree’ I Contractor confusion THE WORLD leads to dumping near bay COQUILLE — A pair of men face felony charges after allegedly committing a “drug-fueled crime spree” across BY TIM NOVOTNY Bandon vacation homes. The World Robert Allen Cummings, of Roseburg, and Christopher Louis Richard Penuel, of COOS BAY - Knife River Materials North Bend, appeared in Coos County says it made a mistake when a ready- Court on Wednesday. Each is charged mix driver cleared a cement truck with three counts of burglary, three chute too close to the bay in Empire. counts of theft, one count of criminal A World reader, Sammy Benson, mischief, and one count of felony posses- spotted the truck at the southwest sion of a firearm. corner of the Empire boat dock park- The district attorney’s office alleges ing lot Friday and confronted the Christopher the pair smoked methamphetamine while Penuel stealing items, including a firearm, from driver. She told Benson that was three Bandon properties on July 8 or 9. where the contractor instructed Cummings was arrested after he drivers to clean their chutes, Benson allegedly tried to pawn stolen items. said. Penuel was arrested after an officer found Benson complained to the Knife allegedly stolen items in his vehicle during River local office, then to its parent a traffic stop. company in Bismarck, N.D. Erika Soublet, deputy district attor- Knife River’s reaction was swift. Contributed photo by Sammy Benson ney, described the alleged burglaries as a Rick Skinner, general manager, A cement truck cleans its chute at the Empire boat launch Friday, launching complaints to its “drug-fueled crime spree”. said he and his ready-mix manager driver, a contractor and the Department of Environmental Quality. Robert “The involvement of controlled sub- went to the site with wheel-barrow Cummings stances leads to a strong inference that and shovel that morning and cleared ardous,”said Skinner, adding, “but it The Department of Environmental one of the objects of the crimes was to away a couple of loads of the debris still shouldn’t have happened; I’m Quality said things not always are so obtain money for more drugs,”she wrote in July in opposi- that had hit the beach. disappointed that my people didn’t clear-cut as they seem. tion to Penuel’s request to be released from custody. question the location.” William Knight, DEQ spokesman, A change of plea hearing is set for both men Sept. 4. Not hazardous The situation serves as a “teach- Cummings remains in Coos County Jail. “By no means is this toxic or haz- able moment.” SEE CEMENT | A10 Police reports . A2 Comics . A8 Wm. Perry Fanno, Coos Bay T S S E Wayne Brassard, Lakeside Richard Bachmeier, Myrtle Point A H D What’s Up. A3 Sports . B1 I C T DeWayne Clark, Springfield Marian Diehl, Coos Bay E A S South Coast. A3 Classifieds . B5 Partly sunny E Jerry Swofford, Coos Bay Obituaries | A5 R N 66/54 I D Opinion. A4 Puzzles. B6 Richard Grossman, North Bend O F Weather | A10 C M C M Y K Y K C M C M Y K A2 • The World • Thursday, August 9,2012 Y K South Coast Managing Editor James Casey • 541-269-1222, ext. 239 theworldlink.com/news/local Update your address book! Man accused THE WORLD of sexually Animal Control Elections 541-396-7770 COQUILLE — Coos 541-751-2480 541-396-7610 Public Health Dept. County government Assessor Emergency Management 541-751-2400 abusing 3 girls phone numbers will 541-396-7900 541-396-7790 Road Dept. change at 5 p.m. on Board of Commissioners Coos County Fair 541-396-7660 The bulk of the charges Friday, Aug. 10. 541-396-7535 541-396-2200 South Coast Interagency Nar- BY DANIEL SIMMONS-RITCHIE The county’s depart- The World stem from incidents between Commission on Children and Forestry and Land Agent cotics Teams (SCINT) December 2003 and June ment directory can Families (CCF) 541-396-7750 541-396-7780 COQUILLE — A Coos Bay 2012 involving two girls now be reached at 541- 541-396-7575 Human Resources and Adminis- Sheriff man charged with sexually younger than 14. abusing two girls faces addi- After Kelso’s arrest in 396-7500 or 541-751- Community Corrections (Parole trative Services 541-396-7800 tional June, the state added addi- 541-396-7580 2300. and Probation) Solid Waste charges after tional charges for incidents In addition, each 541-396-7700 Information Technology Dept. 541-396-7620 police inter- involving a 4 year-old girl viewed a between November 1995 and department can now Community Service 541-396-7740 Surveyor be reached by directly 541-751-2470 third alleged November 1996. Jail 541-396-7585 victim. Mike Nores, a sheriff’s dialing a new 10 digit County Clerk 541-396-7850 Tax Tracy Lee deputy, said another charge number rather than via 541-396-7600 Juvenile Dept. 541-396-7725 Kelso, 50, was added after discovering an extension. 541-396-7880 appeared in a CD found in Kelso’s home County Counsel Treasurer Coos Coun- contained child pornogra- The new numbers 541-396-7690 Maintenance Dept. 541-396-7730 ty Court on Tracy Lee Kelso phy. are listed below but Crime Victims Assistance (CVA) 541-396-7735 Veterans Wednesday Kelso will be held in Coos on nine counts of sexual County Jail until a change of can also be viewed on 541-396-7545 Mental Health Dept. 541-396-7590 the county’s website abuse, two counts of plea hearing on Sept. 5. District Attorney 541-751-2500 Water Resources sodomy, one count of Reporter Daniel Simmons- (www.co.coos.or.us) 541-396-7550 Parks Dept. 541-396-1905 attempted sexual abuse and Ritchie can be reached at 541- and in the blues pages 541-396-7755 one count of possession of 269-1222, ext. 249, or at of recently distributed DA Support (Child Support) State Court Offices child pornography. [email protected]. 541-396-7570 Planning Dept. 541-396-4100 telephone directories. Thefts & Mischief Coast Guard rescues COOS BAY Aug. 7, 11:33 a.m., theft, first Aug. 7, 3:23 p.m., theft, 900 block Walmart. block of Central Avenue. of Crocker Avenue. swimmer by Charleston Aug. 7, 10:22 a.m., man arrested Aug. 7, 11:49 a.m., harassment, Aug. 7, 9:40 p.m., theft of cell COOS COUNTY for criminal trespass, 1100 block CHARLESTON — The boat crew located the boy of South First Street. 1700 block of Thompson Road. phone, 700 block of South Aug. 7, 8:38 a.m., fraud, 91000 Empire Boulevard. Coast Guard rescued a dis- near some rocks just outside Aug. 7, 11:22 a.m., theft of wallet, Aug. 7, 12:03 p.m., criminal tres- block of Kellogg Lane. tressed swimmer near here and south of Sunset Bay. 800 block of South Fourth pass, 1100 block of North Eighth Aug. 7, 9:52 p.m., man arrested Aug. 7, 9:55 a.m., harassment, Wednesday. The boat’s coxswain Street. Street. on multiple felony warrants, 63000 block of South Barview Coast Guard Group North maneuvered the boat near 1000 block of South First Street.