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37 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, March 24, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend March 23, 2005 Teen driver’s classmates keep quiet Cops say grand jury hearing into Feb. 11 fatal crash might compel witnesses to talk By SARAH LEMON Mail Tribune Nearly six weeks after February’s crash that killed an intoxicated Ashland teenager and a Shady Cove man, police say they are no closer to pinpointing where the teen consumed alcohol or who supplied it. Potential witnesses are deliberately withholding information in the case, said Medford police Lt. Mike Moran. Detectives have received only anonymous tips after issuing a public plea for assistance last month, he said, adding that it’s unusual for an investigation of this nature to yield such a minuscule amount of information. "We haven’t had a person really willing to go on the record," Moran said. "I strongly encourage people to do the right thing and step forward." Forensic laboratory reports confirmed Kevan Thatcher-Stephens, 17, was intoxicated the evening of Feb. 11 when his Jeep Cherokee slammed into a Chevrolet Blazer driven by 26-year-old Charles Ashley Bench at the intersection of Jackson Street and Riverside Avenue in Medford. Bench was pronounced dead at the scene. His passenger, Mark Louis Robustelli, 27, of Medford, was hospitalized with critical injuries. Thatcher-Stephens’ passenger, Ian Graham-Collier, 16, of Ashland also was hospitalized but released three days after the crash. Police would not say whether they have questioned Graham- Collier. Advertisement Despite Thatcher-Stephens’ death, several criminal charges could be filed in the case, including furnishing alcohol to a minor and hindering prosecution, Moran said. Police still need to establish a timeline of Thatcher-Stephens’ activities in the six or seven hours between the end of the school day and the 9:32 p.m. crash, in addition to determining who was with him during that time, Moran said. "Right now there’s endless possibilities of who was there," Moran said. "To a degree ... kids have a code of silence." A grand jury hearing could compel some witnesses to testify, Moran said. The possibility of convening a grand jury will be just one topic investigators will discuss next week with Josephine County District Attorney Stephen Campbell, who is reviewing the case. A grand jury panel also is likely to review the actions of two police officers who trailed Thatcher-Stephens as he raced down Riverside at speeds of 90 to 100 mph. One of the officers, sheriff’s Capt. Joe Puckett, remains on paid administrative leave while Oregon State Police review his actions. Puckett was escorting a rider, 31-year-old Talent reserve police officer Michelle Gideon, as he followed Thatcher-Stephens. However, Gideon filed no application to ride with Puckett, as typically required by the sheriff’s department. Puckett’s involvement prompted Jackson County District Attorney Mark Huddleston to forward the case to Campbell to avoid a potential conflict of interest. Talent police officer Jeff Price, who also was following the Jeep, remains on duty. Medford Police Department requests that information about the case be directed to detective Terry Newell at 774-2238. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Slippers Student Loans afsa teleconferencing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Tatoo Advertisement s