A San Juan Island man with an extensive criminal history was ordered to serve three years in prison for trashing the home of a former friend, stealing a pair of stereo speakers and setting the man’s pet hamster free.
On Oct. 24, David Oliver Hursh, 25, was sentenced in San Juan County Superior Court to 36 months in prison after being convicted by a jury of residential burglary, a Class B felony, the week before. He was ordered to pay $600 in fines and fees, and $1,104 in restitution, including $30 for the missing hamster.
He was credited with the time served in jail while awaiting trial since his arrest on Aug. 25.
It’s the second time in less than two years that Hursh has been ordered to prison for a local felony offense. He was convicted four years ago of felony assault after stabbing a man in the back with a knife, which resulted in a two-year prison term.
According to court documents, Hursh was drinking beer at the home of a friend in mid-May and then became upset when the other man asked him to leave. He returned the following night, and while the man away, ransacked his home, stole food and a pair of stereo speakers, and let his pet hamster out of its cage. He returned later that night and, according to court documents, tried to kick in the front door with the man at home, knocked out a window in an attempt to break in and then fled the scene when the man called 911.
A Class B felony, residential burglary carries maximum penalties of 10 years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both; however, the standard range of sentencing set by the state is 33-43 months.
Driver jailed for collision
A San Juan Island man who caused a high-speed collision 18 months ago, in which three people, including himself, were severely injured, was ordered to serve 60 days in jail after pleading guilty to reckless driving, a misdemeanor.
On Oct. 27, Jesus Alfonso Ona, 54, was sentenced in San Juan County Superior Court to 60 days in jail, 45 of which he will be allowed to serve on work crew, as part of a two-year suspended sentence. He pleaded guilty two months before to reckless driving, a gross misdemeanor, as part of a plea agreement.
Initially, Ona had been charged with reckless driving and vehicular assault, a Class B felony. The felony was eventually dropped.
According to court documents, Ona and a female passenger were northbound on Douglas Road and traveling at speed of 60 mph or more, and partially in the oncoming lane of traffic, when the first of three cars they encountered in a matter of moments came up over a rise in the road from the opposite direction. In his car was a cooler containing brandy, whiskey and soda, and he had a blood-alcohol level of .07 at the time of the crash, according to court documents.
Four years earlier, Ona had been granted deferred prosecution in a Spokane County court as a result of a DUI arrest, according to court records.
Though he avoided a near head-on collision by swerving back into the northbound lane, according to authorities, Ona lost control of the vehicle during that maneuver, sideswiped the next, and then crashed into the third vehicle when the axle of his car snapped and sent the vehicle careening into the southbound lane. Ona, his passenger and the driver of the third vehicle were flown off-island with serious injuries following the collision.
In addition to the 60-day jail term, Ona was ordered to pay $750 in fines and fees, and, for now, $5,088 in restitution to cover out-of-pocket expenses incurred by one of people injured during the multiple-car collision on June 30, 2007, near Douglas Road and Madden Lane. However, he will likely be ordered to pay additional restitution following a Dec. 5 hearing in which the medical expenses of that same person, who’s injuries required surgery, are to be determined.
Crash earns assault rap
A San Juan Island man accused of causing a high-speed collision that sent five people to the hospital six months ago will stand trial in March for felony assault.
On Dec. 14, Jesus Alfonso Ona, 53, pleaded innocent in San Juan County Superior Court to one count of vehicular assault, a Class B felony, and to one count of reckless driving, a gross misdemeanor. Ona, who injured in the crash, was released under court orders pending trial.
If convicted of the felony, Ona would face maximum penalties of 10 years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both. He was reportedly driving with a probationary license at the time of the high-speed, multiple car collision near the intersection of Douglas Road and Madden Lane.
According to authorities, Ona was driving at a speed of 60 mph or more and partially in the wrong lane of traffic when the first of three cars he would encounter in a matter of moments came up over a rise in the road from the opposite direction.
Though he avoided a near head-on with the driver of that vehicle by swerving back into the northbound lane, according to prosecutors, he lost control of his car during the maneuver and slammed head-on into the next. The driver trailing the second vehicle reportedly rear-ended the car in front at a high rate of speed.
Five people were severely injured as a result of the multiple-car collision, including Ona and a woman riding in the front passenger seat of his car.
A cooler containing whiskey, brandy and soda was reportedly recovered from Ona’s car during investigation of the crash, which occurred at about 9 p.m.
