West Linn police logged a surge of illegal fireworks complaints, traffic disputes, and one memorable neighborhood confrontation involving a garden hose during the week of Thursday, July 2, through Tuesday, July 8.
The West Linn Police Department's call log, published July 15 by the West Linn Tidings, shows the Fourth of July holiday drove the bulk of the week's activity.
Fireworks dominated the holiday
Fireworks calls started before the holiday itself. On Thursday, July 2, at 9:52 p.m., a caller reported someone throwing fireworks out of a moving vehicle. The next night, Friday, July 3, at 10:03 p.m., a caller reported aerial fireworks on Lewis Street.
On Saturday, July 4, police fielded illegal fireworks calls throughout the evening and into the early morning, between 7 p.m. and 2 a.m. The complaints didn't stop with the holiday.
On Monday, July 6, at 8:53 a.m., a resident told police their neighbor had been lighting fireworks for years and said they had video evidence. As late as Wednesday, July 8, at 2:13 p.m., kids were reportedly lighting aerial fireworks at the baseball field near 12th and Volpp streets.
Under Oregon law, fireworks that fly into the air, explode, or travel more than six feet are illegal for consumer use, according to the City of West Linn's official guidance.
Oregon State Fire Marshal Chief Deputy Travis Medema said in June, "Every year, we see preventable wildfires and devastating injuries caused by the misuse of fireworks."
State officials advise residents to report illegal fireworks to their local non-emergency line, not 911.
Hose vs. bikes on Appaloosa Way
The week's most colorful sequence unfolded on Appaloosa Way the evening of Tuesday, July 7. At 8:06 p.m., a caller reported eight kids "screaming down the hill" on bikes or e-bikes. Twelve minutes later, at 8:18 p.m., a second caller reported that a woman sprayed a hose at the children riding bikes on the same street.
Traffic complaints and a swerving driver
Speeding drew multiple calls. On Monday, July 6, at 9:08 a.m., a caller described drivers using the intersection of Mapleton Drive and Willamette Drive "like a raceway." Later that morning, at 10:32 a.m., a neighbor yelled at a driver to slow down on Sunset Avenue and the driver yelled profanities back.
On Tuesday, July 7, at 3:14 p.m., a woman was reportedly swerving across the road and yelling at people on Hood Street.
Other calls: Airbnb, ding-dong ditchers, a dead deer
Police identified an unpermitted Airbnb on Tuesday, July 7, at 8:20 a.m. The log does not specify the address or what enforcement action followed.
On Friday, July 3, a caller said children ages 6 to 10 had ding-dong ditched their house and flipped them off for the third time that week. The kids returned at 7:18 p.m. the same day, and police spoke with their parents.
A deer was found dead in a creek near Arbor Drive on Tuesday, July 7, at 9:42 a.m., after reportedly being hit by a vehicle. Police confirmed the animal was dead and were working on removal.
That same morning, a caller reported a large fallen maple tree blocking a neighbor's driveway, calling it a fire hazard.
How to report
The department encourages residents to use the non-emergency line for fireworks and noise complaints rather than calling 911. West Linn Police non-emergency dispatch can be reached at 503-635-0238, operated through the Lake Oswego Communications Center.
