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46 °F 5 Day Forecast Sunday, November 30, 2003 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | eSouthernOregon | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend November 5, 2003 Travis Donald Asbill, the suspect Newspaper carrier calls 911 after finding shooting victim By SANNE SPECHT Mail Tribune TRAIL — The actions of a newspaper delivery driver probably saved the life of a shooting and stabbing victim discovered lying on the side of a rural road, sheriff’s deputies say. Mail Tribune driver Eric Sheldrake said he wasn’t sure what he saw in the dark on Crowfoot Road about 5 a.m. Tuesday near Trail. But something made Sheldrake turn back for a second look. "At first I didn’t think it was a person," said Sheldrake, 23, of White City. "At first I thought it was a deer." Sheldrake then discovered what he had assumed to be roadkill was actually a man, Ronald Burton Ragsdale, 47. Advertisement "He told me he’d been shot and stabbed," Sheldrake said. "I called 911 and did what I could to keep him conscious while help arrived." Ragsdale was taken to Rogue Valley Medical Center, where he underwent surgery Tuesday for his injuries, sheriff’s Detective Colin Fagan said. "We believe he (Ragsdale) would be dead if the driver had not stopped," Fagan said. "This was close to being a homicide." Deputies later located Travis Donald Asbill, 21, of 556 Takelma Drive, Trail, in the area of the incident. Asbill was interviewed and lodged in Jackson County Jail on an attempted murder charge stemming from the attack on Ragsdale. Asbill was being held Tuesday night on $1 million bail. Fagan said Tuesday there were no other suspects. Fagan said the motive for the attack was unclear Tuesday, though Asbill and Ragsdale were acquainted. Asbill, who Fagan said "suffers from mental health issues," told him he was hunting Ragsdale and others whom Asbill believed were after him. "He went looking for the others before he found Ragsdale," Fagan said. "Asbill told us it was ‘kill or be killed.’ " Fagan said Ragsdale was shot in the head and upper body with what appeared to be a .22-caliber handgun and then stabbed several times. No gun or knife had been discovered Tuesday evening, he said. Fagan said Ragsdale was attacked at or near his vehicle and was discovered in the road about 30 yards away. Fagan said Ragsdale ran from Asbill after being attacked and fell in the road. He then crawled into the ditch when he saw Sheldrake’s vehicle and feared it was the suspect’s, he said. Fagan said Ragsdale lives in his vehicle and was parked on a Crowfoot Road turnout at the time of the attack. Reach reporter Sanne Specht at 776-4497 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times