Four teenagers charged in robbery, assault of Keizer man on State St

Four teenagers are accused of assaulting and robbing a Keizer man outside of a convenience store on State Street Saturday evening.
Around 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, witnesses reported four suspects hitting a man on the ground and taking his belongings before driving away from the scene in a sedan, according to a statement from the Salem Police Department.
The teenagers were arrested Saturday night, the statement said. Police identified them as Johvani DeJesus-Martinez, 19; Erik A. Muro-Santiago, 18; Noe S. Hernandez-Cordova, 18 and Jose A. Essmith-Martinez, 18.
All four were charged in Marion County Circuit Court Monday with third-degree assault and second-degree robbery.
The assault and robbery happened after a road rage encounter between the victim and one of the suspects, the statement said. No information about the road rage encounter was included in the statement.
The suspect’s sedan was found by officers less than a mile away from the convenience store at an apartment complex on Southeast 25th Street.
The victim, a 34-year-old Keizer resident, was taken to Salem Health with non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspects are in custody at the Marion County Jail and were scheduled to appear in court Monday afternoon.
Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected].
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Madeleine Moore came to Salem after graduating from the University of Oregon in June 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She covers addiction and recovery, transportation and infrastructure.