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Man changes plea — A 24-year-old Milton-Freewater man has changed his guilty plea from manslaughter to murder rather than divulge details of the crime to authorities. Conor Michael Dayton entered the new guilty plea Thursday in a Umatilla County Circuit Court hearing that was held by remote camera. Dayton’s defense attorney, L. Kent Fischer, said outside court that prosecutors were “adamant” that Dayton had not debriefed them on the crime — a stipulation that had been part of his original plea deal for the lesser charge of manslaughter. Dayton decided to withdraw that plea and instead plead guilty to murder after his attorneys decided challenging the prosecution on the matter would be unlikely to succeed. Judge Christopher Brauer told the court it was the first time he’s seen such a plea change in his 12 years on the bench and in his 30 years practicing law. As a result, Dayton will serve at least 25 years in prison rather than the previously recommended sentence of 20 years.

Nail gun assault — Deputies are searching for a worker accused of attacking another worker with a nail gun at a house under construction in Happy Valley. The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office says the victim suffered multiple injuries Friday and was taken to a hospital by helicopter. The suspect ran from the scene on SE Tranquil Street. His name has not been released.