Saturn Club Turf War Heats Up
Published February 2002 0 Comments | Share:
Wade Ritchie poses making the West Side gang symbol with his hands. The West Side Saturn Club meets every Thursday at his home.
BEAUMONT, OR – In the tiny town of Beaumont, Oregon, a town that’s had only one murder in the past five years, two violent gangs have emerged and waged a bitter battle on the streets of the sleepy berg. The gangs, the East and West Side Saturn Clubs, have over run the town and have driven the 50,000+ residents into their homes.
The violence began three months ago when Wade Ritchie took over the presidency of the West Beaumont Saturn Club. Ritchie, seen as a visionary by his club members, sought to unify the two clubs into one all powerful gang that would prey on the weak and other Saturn owners that were “too good” to join the two gangs. But when East Side Saturn Club President Tom Gordon refused Ritchie’s proposal, Ritchie became angry and vowed to take the other club by force.
“Ya see, (Gordon) has no vision, no initiative,” Ritchie said. “He’s weak. I don’t even know how he became president of their club, he’s like what, 35? He will fall, and I will become the supreme ruler of the Unified Beaumont Saturn Club!”
Almost immediately after seizing control of the West Side club, Ritchie and his fellow club members began harassing and vandalizing East Side members and their cars.
“I was outside washing my car when 3 guys came rollin’ up in a Saturn L Series Sedan. They were all leanin’ out their windows and shit, tellin’ me I’d best watch my back ‘cus they was lookin’ take us down. Then they drove up and down the street a couple times blasting that new Billy Joel song. The bass was so kickin’ that it was rattlin’ my windows. Finally I just picked up a rock and threw it at them. That’s when shit got ugly,” East Side Saturn Club member Ernie Stans said.
According to police reports, the three unidentified men jumped out of the car and assaulted Stans, bruising his upper lip and giving him a scratch on his left forearm. Before retreating to their car, one of the men scratched “West Side 4 life” with a key into the paint of Stans’ Saturn.
Since Stans was attacked there have been 147 separate incidents of similar attacks and vandalism recorded by police. The attacks range from beatings like the one Stans received to Saturns of all types being keyed or firebombed.
“We ain’t given up till everyone of them mothafucka’s is dead… or on our side,” said Gordon. “Ritchie is a punk bitch and we won’t stand for this. Last night I had two of my guys spray paint Ritchie’s car with the saying ‘Huey Louis is a whack bitch!’ When he sees that shit, he’ll freak yo!”
As yet, no one has been killed in any of the altercations but approximately one million dollars has been lost in damages.
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