Judge denies dismissal in former Haven Director theft case; trial on track for Oct. 15
Wasco County Circuit Court Judge Marion Weatherford speaks to defense attorney Jody Vaughn and former Haven Director Tara Koch at a hearing on Thursday, Oct 3. at the Wasco County Courthouse in The Dalles.
By Tom Peterson
The Dalles, Ore., Oct. 3, 2024 — Wasco County Circuit Court Judge Marion Weatherford denied Tara Koch’s complaint that theft charges against her did not contain the facts necessary for the offense.
He said the complaint came too late in the 2-year-old case.
It was “an issue in respect to timeliness,” Weatherford said.
The decision moves along the case against the former Haven Director who faces trial for allegedly stealing over $96,000 from the shelter for domestic and sexual violence.
She is set to go to trial on Oct. 15.
On Thursday, Koch appeared in court and agreed to waive her right to a jury trial during the 2-hour hearing. She elected to have Weatherford hear and decide the case after a brief discussion in the hallway outside the courtroom with her attorney Jody Vaughn.
In the motion to dismiss, Koch’s attorney Jody Vaughn said the charges of theft through deception lack the element of intent because board members had access to her employee credit card statements and board members signed checks to Koch’s bankruptcy attorney.
Without the element of intent, Vaughn argued the charges are under time limits that have now run out.
Judge Weatherford denied the motion to dismiss on procedural grounds, rather than on the merit of her argument. He said it was “an issue in respect to timeliness,” noting earlier that the demurrer plea should have been filed sooner in the 2-year-old case.
They typically are filled at the time of the “not guilty” plea.
Weatherford is also expected to make a ruling on the admissibility of business documents the state intends to use against Koch after a hearing on Thursday, Oct. 10.
Vaughn is arguing some of the business documents taken from Haven are inadmissible, either because they lack statements of statute or signatures.
Attorneys Toby Tingleaf and Dan Wendle with the Attorney General’s Office are prosecuting the case against Koch.
Tingleaf promised to have all business documents to both Vaughn and Judge Weatherford by Oct. 9.
Tara Koch was originally arrested on July 7th, 2022 in Washington County on 26 counts including theft, identity theft, and forgery.
