Damon Robinson’s criminal history includes burglary, assault

Published 8:27 am Thursday, May 14, 2015

By Chris Collins

ccollins@bakercityherald.com

Damon Robinson, the Baker City man arrested without incident about 1 p.m. Wednesday near Mowich Loop on Highway 7, is a registered sex offender who also has been convicted of burglary and assault, court records show.

Robinson, 41, of 2220 Ohio St., was held at gunpoint by a man who lives in the area until police arrived at the scene, said Sheriff Travis Ash. The man asked that his name not be released.

Robinson is being held at the Baker County Jail on charges of felon in possession of a firearm, attemping to elude police (two counts, one a Class C felony), and reckless driving.

“It went smooth,” Ash said of the police response, which included calling in members of a regional SWAT team to help find Robinson after he eluded police during a two-hour chase Tuesday afternoon. “Nobody got hurt … it worked well.”

Ash said Robinson first made contact with the same person who later held him at gunpoint about noon Wednesday. Robinson asked the man for help charging his cellphone. Instead, the resident called police to report that he thought the man who approached him was Robinson.

At about the same time, the regional team of officers, including Baker County Sheriff’s deputies, police from Baker City and La Grande police departments and Oregon State Police officers, were preparing to head to the area to continue the search for Robinson.

According to Union County Circuit Court records, Robinson was convicted in July 1998 of attempted first-degree rape, a Class A felony; two counts of first-degree sexual abuse, Class B felonies; three misdemeanor counts of third-degree sexual abuse; and Class C felony charges of tampering with a witness, bribing a witness and conspiracy.

Baker City Police Chief Wyn Lohner said Robinson is a registered sex offender.

Court records also state that Robinson was convicted in February 1993 of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, a Class C felony; in September 1993 of first-degree burglary, a Class A felony; and in May 1992 of first-degree burglary, a Class A felony, and third-degree assault, a Class C felony.

See more in Friday’s issue of the Baker City Herald.