Suspicious package investigation closes courthouse area

[Updated 8/14]

A suitcase found outside the Yamhill County Courthouse at 6:20 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 12, prompted a two-block radius closure and delayed court proceedings.

“(YCSO) reviewed surveillance video and learned that a subject left the suitcase at about 3:30 a.m.,” McMinnville Police Patrol Captain Scott Fessler said. “Without knowing anything more about the person that left the suitcase or what the suitcase contained, and out of an abundance of caution, they alerted McMinnville PD personnel to assist, and a request was made to the Oregon State Police to assist with safely examining the suitcase.”

As the courthouse is located on Fifth and Evans streets in McMinnville, surrounding streets Fourth and Sixth, Davis and Galloway were shut down and barricaded as the incident was investigated.

The closure affected county offices and private businesses as the 8 a.m. work hour approached, Fessler said.

“Ultimately, the suitcase was deemed to be safe by personnel from OSP and the Portland Police Bureau, and there is no information at this time to indicate there was any ill intent on behalf of the person that left the suitcase,” he said.

Mac PD is following up on identifying the person who left the suitcase at the courthouse steps and is identifying the owner of the suitcase.

The streets were reopened to vehicle and pedestrian traffic at around 9:50 a.m. and court got back up and running.

The incident mainly affected Tuesday’s court proceedings, particularly two jury trials, criminal case hearings scheduled for the 8:30 and 9 a.m. dockets and some tenant/landlord disputes.

Yamhill County District Attorney Kate Lynch told the News-Register that the two trials started late, and the criminal cases were rescheduled.

Since the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Department is in the back of the courthouse and separated by dozens of brick walls, many YCSO staff members were in their offices, YCSO Public Information Officer LT. Don Stackpole told the News-Register.

He noted that Yamhill County Correctional Facility is a fortified building, so there was not too much concern the structure would be damaged.

However, there were “decisions made to ensure the population inside was safe,” he said.

County staff were informed of the incident prior to 8 a.m. regular opening of the building.

Deputies on court security shifted to staging around the incident and keeping citizens, jurors and those due in court away from the closed off area, he said.

Sheriff Sam Elliott responded to the command post with McMinnville PD and other incident command officials.

“It was all covered. OSP and all agencies showed professionalism,” Stackpole said.

This was the second suspicious package near the Yamhill County Courthouse this calendar year. At noon May 14, a package appeared on the lawn of the County Commissioner building at the corner of Evans and Fifth streets.

The “suspicious package” was not a threat — it was rolled up sacks, McMinnville Police Chief Cord Wood had told the News-Register.

To officers, the package appeared to be round in shape with a fuse wrapped at the top. Mac Police cleared a one-block perimeter in all directions from the device and called in Sgt. Todd Adams of the Oregon State Police to investigate.

During the May incident, court proceedings continued as visitors were rerouted to the back entrance.