A state prosecutor and the attorney representing Izek Matthew Cleveland, the 18-year-old Baker City facing several felony charges in a Dec. 23 crash that injured six people in the car he was driving, are scheduled to meet July 22 for a private conference to potentially settle the case.

Judge Matt Shirtcliff scheduled the one-day settlement conference during a 10-minute status check hearing Wednesday afternoon, May 14, in Baker County Circuit Court.

Cleveland and his public defender, William Thomson, were in the courtroom.

Deena Ryerson, one of two Oregon Department of Justice attorneys prosecuting Cleveland due to Baker County District Attorney Greg Baxter’s conflict of interest, participated remotely.

Ryerson said during Wednesday’s hearing that the state has made a settlement offer to Thomson.

“The ball’s in their court right now,” Ryerson said.

Both Ryerson and Thomson told Shirtcliff they favored scheduling a settlement conference.

Shirtcliff also tentatively scheduled a trial to start Jan. 12, 2026, in case the case isn’t settled.

Cleveland was charged the day of the crash with driving under the influence of intoxicants, five counts of second-degree assault, and six counts of recklessly endangering another person.

Second-degree assault is a Measure 11 offense in Oregon, which carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 5 years and 10 months on conviction.

Ryerson said during Wednesday’s hearing that the list of charges will be changed to reflect that injuries to some of the six passengers were not as severe as officials initially believed.

She said in a phone interview after the hearing that at least one, and possibly two, charges will remain as second-degree assault, the most serious crime Cleveland is facing now, and the only charge that carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence on conviction.

Ryerson said she is also willing to take the case to a grand jury for potential indictments if needed.

The crash

Cleveland was arrested at the scene of the crash, which happened around 1:20 a.m. Dec. 23, on 17th Street near Grace Street. He was released from the Baker County Jail on Christmas Day after posting $6,000, 10% of his bail.

The 2008 Ford Escape Cleveland was driving crashed into a tree. He had six passengers, all ages 18 or 19.

In a probable cause affidavit, Baker City Police officer Mason Powell wrote that Cleveland “admitted to using cocaine because he thought it would help sober him up for driving.”

Powell wrote that Cleveland’s blood alcohol level was 0.12, above Oregon’s legal limit of 0.08.

Baxter, the district attorney, said he has a personal conflict of interest in the case because he has had several conversations previously with Cleveland with a goal of helping Cleveland. As a result, Baxter said he didn’t think it was appropriate for him, or one of his two deputies, to prosecute the case. Instead he asked the department of justice to handle the prosecution.

Ryerson and Amy Seely were assigned to handle the case.

Cleveland is not allowed to drive while the charges are pending.