BAKER CITY, Ore. -- A postal employee accused of killing a co-worker behind the city post office first ran over the woman, then shot her several times after he tried to find his boss but couldn't, the county prosecutor said Wednesday.
Baker County District Attorney Matthew B. Shirtcliff said it was unclear whether Lori Hayes-Kotter died from being run over by letter carrier Grant Gallaher Tuesday afternoon or from shots allegedly fired by him.
However, Shirtcliff said the gunshot wounds "would have been fatal."
Gallaher, 41, had just finished his shift when he drove into the post office parking lot, Shirtcliff said.
According to the prosecutor, Hayes-Kotter was on foot and her car was nearby.
Gallaher struck her with the postal vehicle, went into the post office "looking to shoot the postmaster," couldn't find him, "comes back out, and shoots her at close range," Shirtcliff said.
He said "several rounds" were fired at Hayes-Kotter and into her car.
Shirtcliff refused to speculate on a possible motive.
"We're not going to get into that. That would be inappropriate at this point," he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.
Neighbors said Gallaher seemed generally unhappy at work but was bragging last week that he'd gotten a new route.
"I've had conversations with other neighbors and even with people today at the hardware store that he never seemed very happy with work," said Tyler Brown. "But I don't know ... I'm still kind of shocked by the whole thing."
Gallaher was charged Wednesday afternoon with intentional murder and attempted aggravated murder. He was held without bail on the first count, and on $300,000 bail on the second at the Baker County Jail.
Gallaher has been a postal employee for 13 years and Hayes-Kotter for 17, the U.S. Postal Service said.
Gallaher's wife and family declined to comment.
The killing has shocked this normally quiet town near the Idaho border.
Brown, said his daughter kicked around a soccer ball with Gallaher just a couple days ago.
"I think we're all still kind of in shock," Brown told the Baker City Herald newspaper.
Hayes-Kotter, a mother of two, lived in North Powder, about 19 miles north of Baker City.
"This should not have happened to her," said one of her neighbors, Michelle Paoletti.
"She was just a terrific mom, a very loving wife and a tremendous friend," Paoletti said. "She made my wedding cake."
After hearing gunshots, workers at a Les Schwab tire dealership went outside to find out what was happening and saw a man standing in a parking lot, said Rocky Brown, the store co-owner.
The man tossed aside a gun and then walked west, Brown said.
Another witness, Cheryl Thayer, said she heard four shots, and then two more, and then the first police officer arrived. She watched as a man walked from behind the post office and surrendered to the officer.
"He gave himself up, came walking right up to him," Thayer said. "They frisked him on the police car, handcuffed him and put him in the car. The ambulance and emergency vehicle went out back immediately."
Hayes-Kotter's car, which was parked in the federal building parking lot, had three bullet holes in the windshield and three more in the hood.
Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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