Motive Still Unclear in Chehalis Shooting

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Court documents shed little light on the reasons behind a shooting early Sunday morning in Chehalis that resulted in no injuries but left a bullet lodged in a family business.

Matthew W. Harader, 27, of Centralia, was charged Monday in Lewis County Superior Court with two counts of first-degree assault.

Superior Court Judge James Lawler granted Harader $100,000 bail, in accordance with a request from the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office, citing the fact that a firearm was involved in the alleged crimes.

Harader’s attorney, Katherine Gulmert, asked Lawler to release her client without bail, citing the support of his family, pastor and boss in the gallery.

“The $100,000 would be an extreme hardship for the family,” she said. “He is the main breadwinner.”

At 3:20 a.m. on Sunday, police were dispatched to a report of a shooting in the 600 block of West Main Street. Dispatchers relayed that witnesses saw the shooter flee in a gray Toyota pickup truck, according to court documents.

Police located the truck in the 400 block of North Market Boulevard. Both the driver, who was not charged, and Harader, the passenger, were detained while officers investigated the incident.

Harader was originally arrested on suspicion of assault and possession of methamphetamine, and court documents indicate police saw a packet of suspected methamphetamine fall out of the truck after Harader got out. Harader was not charged Monday with a drug offense.

Meanwhile, other officers responded to the 76 gas station in the 600 block of West Main Street where the shooting reportedly occurred. Witnesses reported there were three people in the store — two men and a woman — who bought a few items and went outside to pump gas into the Toyota, according to court documents.

One witness reported hearing yelling and a “pop.” She then told police she went outside and saw one of the men, later identified as Harader, running toward the street “with his hand raised in front of him as if he was holding a gun,” according to court documents.

She heard another pop, and told police the man appeared to be shooting toward a lifted truck heading west on Main Street, according to court documents.

The lifted truck reportedly drove behind the Dairy Bar. One of the bullets fired hit the Dairy Bar building, leaving a bullet hole visible from the street.

Police interviewed the men in the lifted truck, who reported they stopped at the gas station to get a drink when a man made eye contact at them and began to yell at them, then shot at them.

Harader refused to speak with officers about the incident, but the driver of the Toyota told officers Harader was the shooter, saying, “He’s crazy, who just starts shooting at people for no reason(?)” according to court documents.

Officers found two .45 caliber bullet casings in the area, in addition to the bullet hole in the Dairy Bar.

Officers were unable to find the weapon used in the shooting, but found a 9mm pistol in the Toyota, according to court documents.

Harader’s next court appearance is scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday.