BI MART & BI MART employees~defendants "violating Oregon Revised Statues § 811.617 Blocking parking space reserved for persons with disabilities."Press Release

Tigard Lawyer writes tickets to BI MART
because Tigard Police won’t

COLOR PICTURES AT www.aspecialdayguide.com/bimart

Contact; Daniel A. Bernath 503.639.6666 www.DisabilityPaycheck.com

Attorney Daniel Bernath, who represents more than 400 disabled people before the Social Security Administration Court (ODAR) has taken the law into his own hands and is hauling BI MART, its president, managers and employees to Court to answer for their alleged violation of the law by blocking handicapped parking spaces in front of the BI MART store at the Tigard Marketplace Shopping Center at 13500 SW Pacific.

 

Bernath says, “On April 26, 2008 BI MART had commandeered the handicapped parking spaces to sell or give away merchandise. I told BI MART to move those things out of there and when they refused I called the Tigard Police.”

Bernath was disappointed that after witnessing the violations the Tigard Police did nothing and upon demand of the Tigard Police the Chief’s Assistant admitted that “no ticket was issued” to BI MART. Indeed, three Tigard policemen, including one senior officer witnessed the alleged law breaking, made photographs but did nothing.

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Attorney Bernath says, “Oregon has a unique law whereby a private citizen, who is not a police officer, can file a complaint with the Court and it works just like if a policeman gave you a ticket. You have to pay the ticket or defend yourself in a trial.”  Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) §153.048 et seq

Bernath has repeatedly in the past warned people who do not have handicapped plaques to remove their car from handicapped parking spaces. “Every time I’ve told illegal users of handicapped spots to move out, they’ve been very sorry and they’ve quickly moved. I am astonished at the arrogance of BI MART to simply ignore the warning sign right next to them and my warning of their law breaking and to make their handicapped customers and wounded war veterans painfully search and scramble to find distance parking spaces and use their crutches, canes and walkers to buy what they need from BI MART.

The Washington County Court will receive the “citizen summons” and will set a Court date for the BI MART defendants to pled, pay their fine or face a jury trial. Earlier April 20, 2008 attorney Eric Bryant issued citations to a Portland Policeman for illegal parking and illegal operation of an emergency vehicle using Oregon's citizen citation law. “When the police won’t follow the law or they turn their back on lawbreaking then it is our duty as Oregon citizens to use our Courts and enforce the law in their place” said disability attorney Daniel Bernath of Tigard.

 

Update: BI MART revokes "membership" of disabled veteran of foreign war Daniel Bernath.
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Daniel you are a real American I just wish more people were like you.  Boy it's funny that the Tigard Police will not do the right thing or up hold the Law. As 100% disabled Vet  I would like to thank Daniel Bernath for standing up for my rights.  You know. I never thought much about what it was like to be disabled until it happen to me. I sometimes need to park in a handicapped spaces and someone is parked in it that's not disabled, I just wish they had my legs for 5 min or so.

You know it take men like Daniel Bernath who don't care what people have to say they just do the right thing and that cool so thank you very much attorney Daniel A. Bernath  signed K

Daniel A. Bernath, Lawyer
On behalf of the
The People of
the State of Oregon

13500 SW Pacific Hwy.
PMB #202
Tigard OR 97223  (503) 639-6666  USSYorktownCVS10@juno.com

Large picture for publication: click there>  http://s84.photobucket.com/albums/k24/danielabernath/bimart/

Oregon Citation and Complaint
and summons
by person other than a law enforcement officer
State of Oregon
City of Tigard
County of Washington

 

 

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Count Number One

against Defendants, BI MART,
Defendant Marty W. Smith,
Defendant 13500 LLC Pacific Corp,
Defendant 1350 LLC,
Defendant Beverly Sue Faulkner,
Defendant Desire Quezada,
Defendant Marcus Moran,
Defendant Joel Hastings AND Defendant Kyle Sanders

Count Number TWO

Defendant 13500 LLC Pacific Corp,
Defendant 1350 LLC,
Defendant Beverly Sue Faulkner,
Defendant Desire Quezada,
Defendant Marcus Moran,
Defendant Joel Hastings AND Defendant Kyle Sanders

Count Number THREE

against Defendants, BI MART,
Defendant Marty W. Smith,
Defendant 13500 LLC Pacific Corp,
Defendant 1350 LLC,
Defendant Beverly Sue Faulkner,
Defendant Desire Quezada,
Defendant Marcus Moran,
Defendant Joel Hastings AND
Defendant Kyle Sanders

Count Number four

Defendant 13500 LLC Pacific Corp,
Defendant 1350 LLC,
Defendant Beverly Sue Faulkner,
Defendant Desire Quezada,
Defendant Marcus Moran,
Defendant Joel Hastings AND
Defendant Kyle Sanders

Count Number Five

against Defendants, BI MART,
Defendant Marty W. Smith,
Defendant 13500 LLC Pacific Corp,
Defendant 1350 LLC,
Defendant Marcus Moran,
Defendant Joel Hastings AND
Garda, operating armored car
license number Y113643

Count Number six

against Defendants, BI MART,
Defendant Marty W. Smith,
Defendant 13500 LLC Pacific Corp,
Defendant 1350 LLC,
Defendant Marcus Moran,
Defendant Joel Hastings AND
Iwasaki Bros., Inc

Count Number seven

against Defendants, BI MART,
Defendant Marty W. Smith,
Defendant 13500 LLC Pacific Corp,
Defendant 1350 LLC,
Defendant Marcus Moran,
Defendant Joel Hastings AND
Iwasaki Bros., Inc

Count Number EIGHT

against Defendants, BI MART,
Defendant Marty W. Smith,
Defendant 13500 LLC Pacific Corp,
Defendant 1350 LLC,
Defendant Marcus Moran,
Defendant Joel Hastings AND
Iwasaki Bros., Inc

Count Number NINE

against Defendants, BI MART,
Defendant Marty W. Smith,
Defendant 13500 LLC Pacific Corp,
Defendant 1350 LLC,
Defendant Marcus Moran,
Defendant Joel Hastings AND
Iwasaki Bros., Inc

Count Number ten

against Defendants, BI MART,
Defendant Marty W. Smith,
Defendant 13500 LLC Pacific Corp,
Defendant 1350 LLC,
Defendant Marcus Moran,
Defendant Joel Hastings AND
Iwasaki Bros., Inc

Count Number ELEVEN

against Defendants, BI MART,
Defendant Marty W. Smith,
Defendant 13500 LLC Pacific Corp,
Defendant 1350 LLC,
Defendant Marcus Moran,
Defendant Joel Hastings AND
CBS CONSTRUCTION~DOE NUMBER ONE

Count Number twelve

against Defendants, BI MART,
Defendant Marty W. Smith,
Defendant 13500 LLC Pacific Corp,
Defendant 1350 LLC,
Defendant Beverly Sue Faulkner,
Defendant Desire Quezada,
Defendant Marcus Moran,
Defendant Joel Hastings AND
Defendant Kyle Sanders

I swear under ORS 53.045 and 153.990 and under other applicable law and under penalties for false swearing, do sear that I have sufficient grounds to and do believe that the above-mentioned defendants committed the above offenses and I have pursuant to law requested that this Honorable Court serve the defendants with this complaint.

Date issued: Sunday, July 13, 2008

eXTReMe Tracker

____________________________________________________

Daniel A. Bernath, Esq. private party and a person other than a law enforcement
On behalf of the

The People of
the State of Oregon

****

Daniel A. Bernath
Attorney at Law
Member United States Supreme Court Bar. Member California Bar
15532 SW Pacific C 1 B #101
Tigard, Oregon 97223
(503) 639 6666 ussyorktown@comcast.net
Friday, July 18, 2008

Jeffrey Johnson, Chief
Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue |
20665 SW Blanton St.
Aloha, OR 97007

Oregon State Police
Office of Fire Marshall
4760 Portland Road NE
Salem, Or 97305-1760

Dear Sirs:
I wish to alert you to dangerous conditions at the BiMart retail store at 13500 SW Pacific, Tigard Oregon 97223.


There is no functional sign above the door stating "THIS DOOR TO REMAIN UNLOCKED DURING BUSINESS HOURS". The employees of BiMart, from my observation are in a great need of training in fire regulations and customer safety.


BiMart routinely on a daily basis blocks entrances and exits. As I estimate that they have up to 500 people a day who are handicapped and wounded veterans of foreign wars, the potential for catastrophe is enormous. BiMart also has a huge clientele of elderly people. If an old person in a wheel chair closes off the now strangulated exit as a fire and deadly smoke gathers inside the retail store, there will be a pileup of people crushing each other to climb over first that old person, and then other people who are behind that old person. People will be crushed at the exit and the others who cannot get through at BiMart will die of smoke inhalation or from the fire itself. 



BiMart blocks the road for emergency vehicles to come to put out fires and rescue citizens. As you can see, by blocking the roadway, often times only one lane is open in front









BiMart routinely blocks aisles with merchandise. Indeed, I have to walk sideways past a woman with her BiMart shopping cart as I ambulate with my two canes.

They have made some modest attempts at fixing the more outrageous fire code violations but I still believe that the Fire Marshall or the Fire Chief should provide the customers of BiMart with a full inspection of the premises, including whether fire exits are blocked, whether fire extinguishers are up to date and full and what training these employees have received, if any. Once your attention is gone, I fear they will go back to their sloppy and dangerous fire violations in the name of higher profits.

Respectfully,

Daniel A. Bernath
Daniel A. Bernath
Attorney at Law



Cc: Marty W. Smith Bi-Mart
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
220 S. Seneca Rd.
Eugene, OR 97402



13500 LLC Pacific Corp.
21500 Haggerty Rd #100
Northville MI 48617



13500 LLC
15295 SW Bull Mtn Rd
Tigard OR 97224

 

Even after "private attorney general" Bernath warned BI MART that an imminent safety inspection was going to take place, BI MART could not bring itself to actually clean up all fire violations;

Daniel A. Bernath

Attorney at Law

Member United States Supreme Court Bar. Member California Bar

15532 SW Pacific PMB 202
Tigard, Oregon 97223

(503) 639 6666 ussyorktown@comcast.net

Friday, July 18, 2008

 

 

Chief Tualatin Valley Fire District

Re: Request for issuance of criminal/civil citation to BiMart for continued actions that place citizens in danger for risk of smoke inhalation, fire death and trampling death

I thank you for your inspection of the BiMart, a tenant at the Tigard Marketplace at 13500 SW Pacific. I am also a tenant at 13500 SW Pacific and have been for 14 years. After your inspection of BiMart, brought about by my observations and complaint (attached) and photographic evidence obtained by myself I notice that BiMart is only slightly less dangerous to wounded war veterans, the disabled and the elderly of Tigard and Washington County.

I enclose photos of how dangerous BiMart was before I requested your inspection and I warned them of the impending Fire Department Inspection and how it they scrambled to improved. But alas BiMart did not understand their responsibility for the safety of their clientele and other users of the Tigard Marketplace and had to comply with your abatement requests after inspection.

I am informed and have observed that since 1994 and for many years before BiMart has created these unsafe conditions in order to make a quick profit each spring time. BiMart obviously is putting its profit above the safety of the people of Oregon.

But BiMart still is a danger to wounded war veterans, the elderly, disabled Americans and all of its customers and all others who shop at the Tigard Marketplace.

I speak of BiMart’s routine blocking of the fire exits with merchandise, trash cans and trucks that deliver and pick up merchandise. This happens over 4 times a week that I have observed and I am only there for about 10 minutes at about noon each day. If a fire inspector was put there for the entire shopping day I would expect that you would see multiple dangerous violations throughout the day.

If a fire broke out inside of BiMart, then the helpless people would rush out of the fire exits, marked by white zebra type lines. However, BiMart has a trash can directly in this zone.

Furthermore, BiMart routinely has merchandise delivered to the front of the store and blocking the fire exit. The tragedy in Tigard would be historic. As hundreds run out, the first people would be impaled on the truck and merchandise blocking their life saving exit. Thereafter, the panicked people behind them would climb over the top of the first people who fell down, thus these people would be killed or injured. This scenario is not a mere fantasy but can be seen in recent history with the night club fire in Rhode Island. killing 100 people and injuring more than 200. Ninety-six perished on the night of the fire, and four died later from their injuries at local hospitals.

With my reading of the Oregon Revised Statutes I note that as an authorized person I may write a complaint and cite BiMart and its management for blocking these life saving fire lanes thus blocking fire equipment, rescue equipment and police department equipment. I note that the up to five Tigard Police Officers, including a Sergeant personally witnessed BiMart personnel violating the laws regarding blocking exits and blocking a handicapped parking spot but issued no citation and issued no warning to BiMart. (attached)

Please advise me if based upon the evidence I now present to you if you

 

Respectfully,

Daniel A. Bernath

Daniel A. Bernath

Attorney at Law

 

 

Cc: Tigard Police Chief

****

(news photo)Tigard's vigilante disabled parking crusader takes on retailer

Attorney with a checkered past stands against parking violations

 PARKING PATROL – Daniel Bernath is challenging Bi-Mart over disabled parking violations.

Jaime Valdez / The Times

Tigard’s Daniel Bernath has had a hard time keeping a low profile since arriving in Oregon. He’s been the target of advertising complaints related to his business representing Social Security Administration claimants, SEE FOOTNOTE 1 BELOW and has regularly sparred with the Oregon Bar Association, the agency that denied him a license to practice law in the Beaver State in 1998.  tn2

Bernath’s verbose Web chronicles his military and professional accolades, and portrays him as an accomplished news journalist and attorney.  fn3

Bernath’s latest battle involves his attempt to bring traffic violations against Eugene-based discount retailer, the employee-owned Bi-Mart Corporation. He is arguing that the corporation’s Tigard store held a garden promotion and used outdoor space reserved for disabled parking along the front of the store to stage its wares, including pallets of bagged potting soil and folding tables laden with plants.

A Navy veteran who served in the Vietnam War, Bernath says he has chronic nerve pain in his legs among other war-born disabilities. He is also a California-licensed attorney and a self-proclaimed champion for disabled people’s rights. fn4

He said he informed Bi-Mart employees multiple times about the violations. He has a mailbox at The UPS Store, a business in the same shopping plaza at 13500 S.W. Pacific Highway as Bi-Mart, and was there to pick up his mail. When he left the plaza, the violations hadn’t been resolved, but he soon returned armed with a camera to document the obstructions and, arguably, to make a scene.

In fact, Tigard Police Department records show a Bi-Mart employee reported that Bernath drove his black Cadillac STS, American flag propped in the center console beneath the disabled-parking placard, into the pallet of potting soil, endangering other employees in the area.

“The original call was made by a Bi-Mart employee,” said Jim Wolf, public information officer for the Tigard Police Department. “It’s important to know that Bi-Mart contacted the police, that’s the reason we arrived.” fn5

Three police vehicles arrived at the scene, including two motorcycle officers and an SUV, Wolf said.

Police arriving at the scene cited Bernath, who was wearing a jacket and ball cap decorated in military medals, for menacing and reckless driving. The case is pending in Washington County Circuit Court. fn 6

No citation was given to Bi-Mart, however, and Bernath is now prepared to bring a legal claim against the corporation in an attempt to force it to pay for blocking the handicap parking spot. Bernath said he wants to show Bi-Mart executives that the company was in the wrong and to have the store revisit it’s training policy for the treatment of disabled services.

“All I want to do is have Bi-Mart learn the lesson that you can’t violate the law,” he said. “You have to treat handicapped people and wounded war veterans with respect. That’s all I want.”

From Jan. 1 to July 1, the Tigard police have issued 13 citations to people illegally parked in a disabled parking space. fn7

Calls placed to Bi-Mart were directed to John Harris, the corporation’s president. Harris was aware of the incident and refused to answer a question about employee training as it relates to the use of disabled parking spaces.

“I can’t even speak to that. That’s one of the dumbest questions I’ve ever been asked,” Harris said when asked about the employee training.

Police photographs taken of the scene outside the Bi-Mart show that the company’s garden display did in fact take over at least one reserved disability parking space along the storefront.

“That particular parking space was inaccessible due to an event that was being conducted by Bi-Mart,” Wolf said. Other disabled spaces in the lot were accessible and open for parking. fn8

Disabled parking spaces, whether on private or public property, are to remain free and clear for the sole purpose of allowing parking for people with disabilities, according to state statute. Blocking a disabled space is a traffic violation that can yield a minimum $50 citation.

Tigard police did not cite Bi-Mart for the obstruction.

For Bernath’s part, he said he later received a letter in the mail from a law firm representing Bi-Mart informing him that his membership to the Northwest discounter has been canceled, citing Bernath’s “threatening, abusive and inappropriate behavior towards Bi-Mart staff.”

Now, Bernath has prepared a 17-page complaint against Bi-Mart and a dozen other defendants and has mailed out press releases announcing his plan to bring citations against them for what he alleges were several days of disabled parking violations. Bernath is citing a seldom-used Oregon law that opens the door for any private party, not just law enforcement, to file a traffic complaint. If successful, the store would have to pay any resultant fines to the state, not Bernath.

Harris alluded to Bernath’s spotty history, fn9 and said Bi-Mart has no intention of additionally examining the incident. He said further comment would give Bernath more “ammunition and fodder” to take the incident to the next level, raising the specter of whether Bernath’s actions are little more than a publicity stunt to drum up business for his Social Security enterprise, which is mentioned on his Web site in connection to his allegations against Bi-Mart.

“We can’t speak to it because of the level this gentleman has taken it,” Harris said. “There’s nothing there to deal with, because the police got involved immediately and cited him and that’s the end of it for us.”

A shadow of doubt has crept over Bernath’s credibility as an attorney since he moved to Oregon from California in 1994, at which time he applied for and was denied an Oregon law license. Specifically, Bernath failed to convince the Oregon State Board of Bar Examiners that he had the requisite “moral character and fitness” to practice in Oregon. fn 10

Bernath appealed the decision to the Oregon Supreme Court, resulting in a five-page 1998 opinion that cited 18 reasons to deny him a practicing license, ranging from his failure to pay child support — something that got him a one-year license suspension in California in 1995 — to a $34,000 judgment against him in California for malicious prosecution. fn11

He has since subsisted mostly on the Social Security claim business. A licensed attorney is not required to argue claims in front of the Social Security Administration judges, though the federal administration must first approve the fee schedule for anyone other than the claimant representing the case, and imposes rules of conduct for such people. Bernath also runs A Special Day Photography, working as a wedding and special event photographer.  fn 12

Bernath maintains that the bar decision and its findings are bogus. Today he remains actively licensed to practice law in California and in federal appeals courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, and in May 2007 the Oregon State Bar cleared him of a complaint that he had been practicing law without a license.

Confirmed: Bi-Mart is coming  fn13

Business Buzz

The sunshine made us giddy, so we had no trouble writing longer and more in-depth “briefs” this week. Add to that the fact that we had a lot of news emerge in the business world this week, and you have yourself one burly bite of buzz. Enjoy:

• OK, it’s confirmed. Bi-Mart is coming, folks. The Post discovered some construction workers walking in and out of the former Danielson’s Thriftway space Thursday, May 1. We asked, “So, is it going to happen?” One worker from Eugene-based Ordell Construction said, “What, Bi-Mart? It’s happening right now.” The worker said Bi-Mart gave them a timeline of four or five months, which would put an opening somewhere around October.