Irrigon man facing charges of attempted murder

HERMISTON – A 34-year-old Irrigon man is in custody on charges of felony attempted aggravated murder after a woman was run over in the parking lot of the El Nopal restaurant early Saturday morning.

Hermiston police officers responded to a report of a motor vehicle accident, while additional callers had reported that someone had intentionally run over a 28-year-old woman. Officers rendered aid on scene before the woman was transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center before being airlifted to a hospital in Portland. Her injuries were described as “extensive.”

Witness statements said it was believed that the woman knew the person who had “rammed her into a vehicle.” That person was identified as Manuel Contreras Torres, who had fled the scene in a black GMC pickup with three other occupants. Due to the chaos of the incident, a second vehicle inadvertently ran over the woman while trying to leave the parking lot.

Umatilla police officers located the pickup at a residence in their city, established a perimeter around the location and secured the scene while Hermiston police wrote up a search warrant. The warrant was later served, and Torres was taken into custody.

Torres’ charges are one count of felony aggravated attempted murder, one count of felony assault, one count of felony injury hit and run, and three counts of misdemeanor property hit and run. An arraignment is scheduled for Monday at 2:30 p.m.

Oregon state police also assisted in the investigation and reconstruction of the crime scene. The state police crime lab was scheduled to begin processing the pickup on Monday.

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