On July 2, 10 days before his 68th birthday, Mars Harry Bringas saw a Yamhill County grand jury indict him on multiple charges of menacing and unlawful use of a weapon after an incident near his Newberg home in late June. (Staff file photo)

Mars Harry Bringas sentenced to 40 days of jail time for incidents over the past couple of months

One of Newberg’s most industrious criminals ran afoul of the law one too many times recently and will spend the next 40 days in jail as a result.

On July 2, 10 days before his 68th birthday, Mars Harry Bringas saw a Yamhill County grand jury indict him on multiple charges of menacing and unlawful use of a weapon after an incident near his Newberg home in late June.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed by an officer from the Newberg-Dundee Police Department, Bringas brandished first a knife then a machete at two men during an argument near his home in the 500 block of East Michelle Court.

“Mars was in his driveway holding the machete when the officers contacted him,” the officer wrote in the affidavit. “Mars responded by telling officers to ‘f–k off.’ Officers were able to get Mars detained and handcuffed.”

The victims testified that Bringas became angry during a discussion about the trucks they used for their gravel business near Dundee. The discussion escalated, prompting Bringas to arm himself and threaten the men.

“The victims said Mars told them, ‘I should kill your ass’ while holding onto the machete,” the affidavit said. “One of the victims who was closest to Mars was concerned about his safety.”

Video footage captured by a neighbor’s cellphone showed Mars yelling and cussing at the victims while they were in their truck, the affidavit claimed.

“Mars can be seen on camera picking up a knife and saying, ‘Why don’t I take this knife and kill you? You deserve it,'” the officer reported in the affidavit.

When officers responded to the scene, Mars insisted there was no argument.

The incident was one of Bringases’ many run-ins with the law over the past four decades.

In the last year alone, he has been convicted of menacing, disorderly conduct, third-degree escape, criminal trespassing and violating a stalking protective order.

Bringas pleaded guilty to two counts of menacing in the June 26 incident and was sentenced by Yamhill County Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Chapman to 30 days in jail. Because he was on parole from earlier convictions at the time of the incident, Chapman added another 10 days for parole violation.

In addition, Bringas was ordered to serve two years of supervised probation for the most recent case. The order also requires he undergo anger management assistance, that he undergo a mental health evaluation and get treatment if recommended.