Your Friday evening update on Salem news

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A former Salem police sergeant will stand trial on a drunken driving charge for a second time after a trial in Polk County last week ended with a hung jury.

Dustin W. Wann is accused of driving drunk in west Salem near the Salemtowne Golf Club on May 27, 2023. State police cited him six months later.

Aaron Felton, Polk County district attorney, said Monday that last week’s scheduled trial ended with a 5-1 jury split. Conviction requires a unanimous jury decision.

Felton said they didn’t poll the jury to ask if a majority supported conviction or acquittal, but said his office intends to re-try the case. That will likely happen in late 2024 or early 2025, he said.

Felton has previously refused to release police reports on the matter, citing the open case. State police and Salem police also declined to release reports earlier this year.

In early April, the Salem Police Department said Wann was no longer employed following an “administrative action,” but declined to specify the nature of his exit.

Wann’s state law enforcement certification remains under review by the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training as of Monday.

Here’s some of today’s news. Read all our latest coverage anytime on our website.

www.salemreporter.com

After sharing fine art downtown, Salem on the Edge to close

Salem on the Edge owner Melanie Weston is closing her downtown gallery to move to Southern California. Over the past four years, her gallery has highlighted local artists and welcomed…

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Oregon State Hospital nurses raise safety fears as they work mandatory overtime

The union that represents registered nurses at Oregon State Hospital has filed more than 200 grievances in the past month.

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Salem Hospital locked down Sunday after man pointed handgun at security guard

Police arrested a 35-year-old Salem man Sunday afternoon following a menacing incident at Salem Hospital.

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As traffic fatalities climb in Salem, new draft plan highlights public safety concerns

Two years in the making, a new transportation safety plan for the Salem area draws on recent crash data and community experiences to suggest road safety improvements.

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Police arrest suspect six hours after Salem bank robbed

Police arrested a Salem man at his northeast Salem home, accusing him of robbing a bank about a half mile away on Friday, Aug. 9.

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