Prineville dad charged in Crook County HS outburst

“We got a message from (our son) Christopher: ‘I’m locked in a room, they took the chairs from me, they turned down the lights and they locked me in this room,” said John Kriner of Prineville.

A message no parent wants to hear, especially if their son has autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.

“It struck a chord with me,” Kriner said Thursday.

Minutes after Kriner, who himself is disabled, got the call, he rushed to Crook County High School to get his 16-year-old stepson.

“When we got to the school, I went into the office, I said a little bit of profanity because I was upset — I mean, I got a call from him that he was locked in a room. So I said, ‘I want to know where my son is,” Kriner said.

He found Christopher and was asked to leave. Two months later, sheriff deputies knocked on his door with a warrant for his arrest.

“They came here that evening and arrested me in my shorts and took me down,” Kriner said.

Kriner was charged with disorderly conduct. The district attorney’s office said Kriner faces a jury trial for causing a disturbance at the school.

“I was flabbergasted,” Kriner said.

Crook County High officials did not want to comment in detail on this case, but said Christopher was never locked in a room.

NewsChannel 21 obtained exclusive documents sent to the DA’s office, which state that teachers sent Christopher to the principal’s office after he made threats to kill people.

It also confirms that his father was yelling and used profanities but left without further incident.

Kriner said he apologized several times for his behavior, but he thinks the charge simply does not match the crime.

“I wish I could go back and take back the words I said, but I do not wish to go back and not stand up for my son and do what I’ve done for my son, to get the rights that he needs and get the education he needs,” Kriner said.

Kriner said he wants to raise awareness about children with disabilities in schools. He has contacted the organization Disability Rights of Oregon, which said it would take on Christopher’s case.

Meanwhile, Kriner himself awaits trial on March 17th.