A staffer at the state fish hatchery in Reedsport pours dead pre-smolt Chinook salmon into a container. Roughly 18,000 of the fish were recently killed after a 20-year-old man allegedly poured bleach into a holding tank at the facility.
Courtesy of Gardiner Reedsport Winchester Bay hatchery / KLCC
Authorities in Douglas County, Oregon, have issued a warrant for the suspect in last month’s destruction of 18,000 juvenile salmon at a Reedsport hatchery.
Joshua Alexander Heckathorn, 20, of Gardiner was a no-show at court on Monday. He had been scheduled for his first court appearance on May 16, but told officials he had transportation issues and couldn’t make it.
But with his failure to make his rescheduled appearance, Douglas County Circuit Court Judge Jason Thomas issued a bench warrant for Heckathorn.
“He’s not showing, the warrant will issue,” said Thomas. “And we’ll see if we can help Mr. Heckathorn find his way back to court.”
The warrant allows law enforcement to detain Heckathorn and bring him in on $10,000 bail.
Heckathorn is accused of breaking into a Reedsport hatchery and pouring bleach into a tank with thousands of young Chinook salmon. He’s charged with burglary, criminal trespass and criminal mischief.