Newberg man drunk when he fired rounds

Steven Smith

NEWBERG — Steven Smith was intoxicated when he discharged his .22-caliber rifle in the direction of a tree in his backyard the evening of Thursday, Sept. 3, sending bullets flying toward the Newberg High School stadium during a girls soccer match.

Smith, 53, was subsequently arraigned in Yamhill County Circuit Court on four counts of reckless endangering and one count each of unlawful use of a weapon and disorderly conduct. Unlawful use of a weapon is a Class C felony, reckless endangering a Class A misdemeanor and disorderly conduct a Class B misdemeanor.

Initially, Smith was lodged on $32,500 bail. At arraignment, he was granted a conditional release. He is next due back in court at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2.

Officer Jonathan Stearns of the Newberg-Dundee police described the incident this way in a probable cause affidavit:

Various agencies responded to the high school in response to a shots fired report.

School personnel said the shots came from the east, in the vicinity of Deborah Road, where Smith resides. They said one struck a set of bleachers.

Three people present at the game heard rounds zinging past their heads. One was sitting near the spot where a round struck the bleachers.

Coaches, players and spectators took cover in the high school gym while waiting for police to respond. Smith was quickly identified as a suspect and taken into custody at his residence.

Smith admitted having some drinks, then going to the backyard to fire his rifle. He said he knew there was a soccer match underway at the time.

A search revealed a loaded .22-caliber rifle, hundreds of additional rounds of ammunition and about a dozen shell casings in the backyard.