Iverson_mug.jpeg
Scott Edward Iverson, 26, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after allegedly trying to feed one of his co-workers into a wood chipper.
(Courtesy/Keizer Police Department)
A 26-year-old man was arrested last week after police said he tried to put one of his co-workers into a running wood chipper head first outside of Salem.
Scott Edward Iverson, of Stayton, was taken into custody without incident Friday on suspicion of attempted murder and assault, Keizer police said in a statement.
His arrest stems from an altercation around 1 p.m. on Wednesday in which Iverson was working with the victim, another unidentified employee of the tree service company, on the 900 block of Moneda Ave. North, police said.
For unknown reasons, Iverson "snuck up" behind the victim, who was loading brush into the chipper, put him in a chokehold and tried to push him into the machine, a witness told investigators. A struggle ensued, according to police, and Iverson again tried to push the victim's head toward the machine.
At that point, another employee saw what was happening and pulled Iverson off the victim, police said.
"The victim told investigators he feared for his life and thought he was going to die when the incident occurred," police said.
The victim, a 22-year-old man, told police there was no bad blood between the two and that Iverson attacked him unprompted.
After Iverson was pulled from the victim, police said he walked away from the scene and remained on the loose until he was arrested at a Stayton restaurant on Friday afternoon.
He was being held in Marion County Correctional Facility. Investigators asked anyone with information about the incident to contact Detective Ben Howden at 503-390-3713 ext. 3525.
-- Kale Williams
kwilliams@oregonian.com
503-294-4048