Suspects Involved in Setting Booby Trap That Snared Portland Cyclist Told Police They Wanted to “Harass Transients”

"When asked why they had put the string across the pathway," a police report reads, "Jones said they wanted to harass the transients in the area.”

Springwater Corridor homeless sweep on Sept. 1, 2016. (Henry Cromett)
By Elise Herron

Two of the suspects arrested for stringing a web of twine across a Portland bike path last week made their first court appearance yesterday.

Antonio Tolman-Duran, Justin Jones and Dakota Murphy were arrested Friday in connection to the booby trap that injured biker Carlene Ostedgaard on the I-205 multi use path near Southeast Division Street.

According to the police account from the responding officer, first reported by BikePortland, the three individuals arrested said they were attempting to "fuck with the homeless."

The officer, the report says, "saw that Jones was wearing a kangaroo or lion 'onesie' costume with an open-top pocket on the belly area. He saw a roll of white woven string in the pocket. When asked why they had put the string across the pathway, Jones said they wanted to harass the transients in the area."

The officer, the report continues, "spoke to Tolman-Duran who said they wanted to 'fuck with the homeless' because 'we don't want them around here.'"

A spokesperson for the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office Brent Weisberg says Jones and Tolman-Duran were charged yesterday with felony assault in the third degree and three counts of recklessly endangering another person. All three men were originally booked on charges of misdemeanor assault.

A "no complaint" is still issued for Murphy, which means charges were not immediately issued on his case. Weisberg says that could mean police are conducting additional follow up investigations.

All three individuals are scheduled for a second court date on Nov. 28, and remain out of custody.

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