Dog's back broken in drunk driving accident
Trail, OR (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Aug 18, 2005
County: Jackson
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: John Lee Knapp
A suspected drunken driver faces felony assault charges in connection with an August crash that sparked a grass fire along Highway 62 near Trail.
John Lee Knapp, 54, of Eagle Point, pleaded not guilty on Oct 18, 2005 in Jackson County Circuit Court to charges of third-degree assault, driving under the influence of intoxicants, first-degree animal abuse, second-degree criminal mischief and reckless burning.
Knapp's 1977 Ford pickup crossed the highway's center line at about 1 p.m. on Aug. 18 and collided with a Chevrolet pickup driven by 38-year-old Gregory Stevenson of Medford, Oregon State Police said. Both vehicles caught fire, requiring fire crews to extinguish flames that spread to grass beside the road.
A passing motorist helped pull Knapp from his pickup. Knapp was taken by helicopter to Providence Medford Medical Center and hospitalized with serious injuries. Stevenson's passenger, Kathy Lee Hall, 32, of Medford, was treated for minor injuries at Providence and released. Stevenson and another passenger in his pickup were not injured, OSP officials said.
Animal abuse was charged in the case because a small dog in Knapp's vehicle suffered a broken back in the crash, said Karen Loomis, deputy district attorney for Jackson County.
Knapp, who lives in the 400 block of Stevens Road, has spent no time in jail. He was booked Oct 18 and released on his own recognizance. References« OR State Animal Cruelty Map
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