Medford teen charged in baseball-bat beating

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2002-03-15

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Medford teen charged in baseball-bat beating By SARAH LEMON Mail Tribune A Medford teen was arrested and charged with two Measure 11 crimes Wednesday after he allegedly beat a man with a baseball bat and robbed a taxi cab driver. Tedrow "Teddy" Toe Vaeono, 15, of the 2100 block of Roberts Road was arrested around 3:15 p.m. Wednesday at a home on the 1200 block of South Holly Street on charges of first- and fourth-degree assault, first-degree robbery, menacing, unauthorized entry into a vehicle and second-degree theft. Measure 11 is the minimum-sentencing law passed by Oregon voters in 1994. There also was a warrant for Vaeono's arrest for violating the probation conditions of a felony conviction. He was lodged in the Jackson County Juvenile Detention Center on $1 million bail, corrections officers said. Based on Vaeono's description from witnesses, police connected him to a robbery that was reported at 12:52 a.m. Wednesday. A taxi cab driver told police that two men approached his car parked in Jackson Park. The suspects allegedly threatened the driver with a knife and chased him around his vehicle. Vaeono then allegedly stole cash from the driver and fled, police said. A 19-year-old Medford man - Arnold Grajeda Magdaleno, of the 100 block of Myers Court - also was arrested and charged with first-degree robbery in connection with the case. He was lodged in the Jackson County Jail on $500,000 bail. An off-duty police officer took Magdaleno to the police department for questioning around 8:45 p.m. and later arrested him, said Medford police Lt. Mike Moran. In a separate case, Vaeono allegedly beat a relative's ex-husband in the head with a baseball bat in the Union Park area the evening of Dec. 21. The man was treated for a "large gash" above his eye and a possible fractured skull, said Moran. The victim reported the assault to police around 10:35 p.m. and identified Vaeono - whom police could not locate that night, said Moran. The victim said that he was walking down the street when Vaeono followed him, made threatening comments, and allegedly assaulted him. Moran said the fact that Vaeono's name kept coming up during the Christmas weekend led to his arrest. Under Oregon law, Vaeono will be tried as an adult for the charges of first-degree assault and robbery. But only juveniles 16 or older are lodged in the county jail. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected]     Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.