Veggies offered as bribe to police

A Junction City man made an unusual offer to the police officers Thursday when arresting him.

Edward William Rice, 65, said he would give Junction City police officers a wheelbarrow of artichokes and zucchini from his garden if they let him go, Sgt. Eric Markell said. The officers declined. He made a similar offer to the nurse at the Lane County Jail.

Now, instead of a handful of misdemeanors, Rice also is facing a felony bribe giving charge.

Oregon state law defines a bribe as offering a public servant anything with the intent to influence the public servant’s vote, opinion, judgment, action, decision or exercise of discretion in an official capacity.

Rice was pulled over at 1:30 p.m. He was taken to the police department before being taken to jail, where the offer was made, Markell said. Rice was booked into Lane County Jail on misdemeanor charges of DUII, reckless driving, attempting to elude police in a vehicle and menacing.

The latter charge was a result of Rice’s alleged threat to officers he would find out where they lived and hurt or kill them and their families.