Mail Tribune News - Police chief pleads not guilty to assault

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Police chief pleads not guilty to assault Gold Hill police chief David Crawford pleaded not guilty Thursday at his arraignment on charges that he roughed up a suspect. A Jackson County grand jury indicted Crawford last month on five charges -- including two counts of felony coercion and one count of fourth-degree assault -- involving an on-duty altercation Jan. 2 with a dirt-biker north of town. Judge Dan Harris released Crawford, 41, on his own recognizance. Meanwhile, the judge also approved a motion filed by District Attorney Mark Huddleston to consolidate the case with earlier charges of attempted coercion. That case, set for trial Thursday, involves an off-duty traffic altercation in 1996 with an elderly couple from Shady Cove. As part of the ruling, a new trial date on all the charges was set for June 2. The Gold Hill City Council has suspended Crawford, who was the only member of the city's police force. Mail Tribune Copyright �  The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA