Adults block pickup truck that drove around two cars stopped in intersection to let Baker Little League players cross street during annual parade
Published 8:59 am Monday, April 14, 2025
A Baker City man drove around two cars that had stopped on Auburn Avenue Saturday morning, April 12, to let players cross the street in a crosswalk during the annual Baker Little League parade.
No one was hurt, Baker City Police Sgt. Wayne Chastain said.
Police have sent a report of the incident to the Baker County District Attorney’s office for a possible criminal charge of reckless driving, Chastain said on Monday morning, April 14.
District Attorney Greg Baxter said on Monday morning that “we’ll review that report and file charges if the evidence supports them.”
The incident happened at the intersection of Auburn and Main Street.
The parade started in Geiser-Pollman Park. Players walked south on Main Street, which was closed to traffic.
Auburn Avenue was open to traffic. Chastain said players cross Auburn, from north to south, and continue on sidewalks to Wade Williams Field for opening ceremonies scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday.
Chastain said east-west traffic on Auburn had a green light at the time of the incident, around 8:40 a.m. That means the crosswalk would have had a don’t walk sign illuminated.
However, Chastain said two drivers heading east on Auburn had stopped in the intersection because there were pedestrians in the crosswalk.
Another eastbound driver, Vernon Trowbridge, 74, drove his pickup truck around the two stopped vehicles, honking his horn as he continued east.
Chastain said several parents stepped in front of the pickup, which based on photos taken by bystanders stopped with its front tires inside the crosswalk.
One bystander apparently shifted the pickup’s transmission into park, after which Trowbridge allegedly shifted back into drive and rolled forward before being stopped again by bystanders.
Baker City Police Sgt. Mike Regan responded to a call about the incident to Baker Dispatch at 8:52 a.m.
According to a report, Chastain said Trowbridge said he had an appointment at Lew Brothers Les Schwab Tires, about a block to the east, at 9 a.m.
Chastain said bystanders took the keys to Trowbridge’s truck before Regan arrived.
Chastain said police didn’t cite Trowbridge Saturday but forwarded a report to the district attorney for the possible criminal charges.
Trowbridge, reached by phone on Monday morning, declined to comment.
Regan is off duty until Wednesday and wasn’t available to comment.
Jayson has worked at the Baker City Herald since November 1992, starting as a reporter. He has been editor since December 2007. He graduated from the University of Oregon Journalism School in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in news-editorial journalism.
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