UPDATED: Tenino Mayor Charged With Misdemeanor Assault Following Scuffle at Bar

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Thurston County Prosecutors charged Tenino Mayor Wayne Fournier with fourth-degree assault, a gross misdemeanor, Tuesday, several weeks after he was accused of hitting a woman inside a bar during a late-night confrontation.

An arraignment hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Sept. 11 in Thurston County District Court. Meanwhile, Fournier’s attorney Justin Kover said he and his client “categorically deny the accusations against him.”

According to Lt. Ray Brady with the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, in the early morning hours of July 28, Fournier, 39, and some friends were having drinks at the Eagle’s Club in Tenino. At some point, Brady said, they had their drinks taken away from them after they started “causing some issues” at the establishment — like standing at the end of the bar and not letting staff through.

An employee at the Eagle’s Club reported that Fournier hit her in the chest as she walked past. The same employee alleged she picked up a phone, advised them that they needed to leave and that Fournier then struck the phone out of her hand, said Brady.

The Tenino Police Department originally responded to the case, but then requested the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office conduct the investigation, due to Fournier being the mayor of their jurisdiction.

Brady said Tuesday that the investigation had been completed, and referred to the prosecutor’s office for consideration of charges. Investigators have interviewed the alleged victim, witnesses and Fournier, he said.

Before the charge was filed Tuesday, Kover said he believed a video from the bar the night of the incident proved Fournier didn’t lay hands on anyone. The video — from a surveillance camera that doesn’t include audio — doesn’t seem to include evidence that an assault took place, said Kover, adding that at its worst, it only depicts a verbal dispute inside the bar, but nothing more.

He said he felt charges wouldn’t be filed, based on the video. When contacted by The Chronicle Wednesday morning after the charge had been filed, Kover said he had no further comment at that time, but confirmed his stance on the situation hadn’t changed.

Kover said Tuesday that if charges were to be filed, he looked forward to reading the full report detailing the accusations against his client, however when referring to the video, he responded: “I just don’t see it.”

Fournier is running unopposed for reelection as mayor in November. Multiple calls seeking comment from a representative from a representative of the Tenino City Council were not returned by press time.