Man found dead, investigators call death 'suspicious'

SALEM, Ore. – The Marion County Sheriff's Office has started an investigation after a man was found dead in SUV on the side of a road in Salem Friday morning.

Marion County Sheriff's Office spokesman Don Thompson would not say exactly how the man died, but he called the death "suspicious." The Homicide Assault Response Team is involved in the investigation.

Officers found the dead man after responding to a call for a welfare check on a possible stranded motorist in a vehicle on the side road at about 1:15 a.m.

As of Friday afternoon, investigators were still trying to confirm the man's identity.

Thomson said the vehicle was parked and running with the emergency flashers activated when it was located by a deputy 4 minutes after the call came in. Sr. Deputy Jason Hickman found the driver slumped over and deceased, according to a press release issued Friday morning.

The sheriff's office said that due to the nature of the man's death and the ongoing investigation, the cause of death has not been released but an autopsy is planned for Friday.

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Local fugitive to be featured on America's Most Wanted

PORTLAND, Ore. - A man who impersonated a police officer, kidnapped two women and attempted to rape them remains at large nearly two years later and will now be featured on America's Most Wanted.

Paul Evans Winklebleck, 43, is wanted on felony warrants for kidnapping, criminal impersonation, assault, attempted rape and robbery. He is also wanted for child sex abuse and failing to register as a child sex offender.

The charges stem from a March 4, 2010 incident where two women were approached outside the Roseland Theater just before midnight by Winklebleck, who told them he was a police spotter. He said he would help them get home because they might be intoxicated.

The two women believed Winklebleck and agreed to let him drive them home in their car. Once the women were inside the vehicle, Winklebleck displayed a knife, drove south on Interstate 5 and took the Detroit Lake exit near Salem.

Rocker Castronovo arrested after domestic situation in W. Salem

WEST SALEM, Ore. – Deen Castronovo, the drummer for the rock band Journey, was arrested late last week after a "domestic situation," Salem police said Thursday.

Police arrested Castronovo on Friday Jan. 20 and lodged in the Polk County Jail on charges of fourth-degree assault, harassment, recklessly endangering another person, interfering with making a police report, second-degree criminal mischief and coercion.

He posted bail of $52,500. Police released no other information.

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Salem-Keizer district PE teacher accused of fondling girls

SALEM, Ore. - A physical education teacher faces allegations that he fondled a female student and now that student's family is suing the school district.

Stuart A. Charleston, a physical education teacher at Waldo Middle School in the Salem-Keizer school district, was placed on paid administrative leave in October of 2011.

On Wednesday, a Marion County grand jury also heard testimony from other girls who said they were sexually abused.

Gilion Dumas, a lawyer representing the mother of one of the victims said the grand jury was taking testimony from "multiple alleged victims". She said all the victims were middle-school-aged females.

The Salem-Keizer superintendent received a notice on Tuesday that says the mother intends to sue the school district over "sexually inappropriate fondling" of her daughter by Charleston, according to Dumas.

Called a "tort claim," the notice says the incidents took place over a two-month period in September and October of 2011. The family is suing for emotion distress, psychological damage and counseling costs.

State urges folks to secure their hazardous materials

State urges folks to secure their hazardous materials

It's not something you normally think about when it's raining hard and there's a threat of flooding but state officials want to remind folks about how important it is to secure hazardous materials so they don't make it into our waterways. Here's some information the Oregon State Fire Marshal and DEQ sent out: