.png.jpg)
A Yelm man was arrested Wednesday near Chehalis on three separate Lewis County Superior Court felony cases dating back to July 2022 — one where he’s accused of ramming into his ex-girlfriend’s car, one where he’s accused of tampering with drugs an officer found in his car, and one where he’s accused of trying to take a bail agent’s gun during an arrest.
Bail is set at $50,000 for the drug possession case and $100,000 for the other two cases. He is being held without bail on an unrelated Thurston County case.
In the initial 2022 case, Brandon Allen Taylor, 47, is accused of ramming his car into his ex-girlfriend’s vehicle at least twice, causing over $5,500 damage, on Lakeshore Drive in Centralia on July 23, 2022.
Taylor was charged Aug. 2, 2022, with one count each of domestic violence second-degree assault, first-degree malicious mischief and reckless driving, according to court documents.
Taylor was reportedly in custody in Thurston County on an unrelated case at the time, and posted $50,000 to be released from the Thurston County Jail in February 2023.
He was subsequently issued a summons notice for an April 1, 2024, preliminary hearing in Lewis County, which he was not present for, prompting the court to issue a $50,000 bench warrant.
On Jan. 2, 2024, Taylor was stopped by an officer with the Centralia Police Department in an outlet parking lot for having an expired and potentially altered trip permit, according to court documents.
After the officer reportedly saw a plastic container of meth on the floor of Taylor’s vehicle, Taylor allegedly “moved his legs over the container, attempting to conceal it” and then placed the vehicle in reverse and backing up, hitting a parked car. He then allegedly stopped the vehicle, “grabbed the plastic container and handed it to a female in the front passenger seat and told her to run,” according to court documents.
She did exit the vehicle, but she left the container on the passenger’s seat.
When questioned, Taylor allegedly “stated he had just found the container in Borst Park” and said “there was methamphetamine in the container.”
“Due to booking restrictions, Taylor was released at the scene,” according to court documents. He was charged Feb. 12 with one count each of possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture or deliver, tampering with physical evidence and obstructing a law enforcement officer.
He was issued a summons notice for a March 19 preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court, which he was not present for, prompting the court to issue a $50,000 bench warrant.
Taylor remained out of custody until bail bond agents reportedly located him at a storage unit in the 2000 block of Southwest Salsbury Avenue near Chehalis on April 24, according to court documents.
The agents reportedly confronted Taylor inside the storage unit and “attempted to gain custody of Taylor,” at which point Taylor allegedly “began to strike them, hitting (one agent) in the face.”
All three subjects reportedly “went to the ground.” As they “struggled on the ground,” Taylor allegedly grabbed one of the agents’ handguns, which was in a holster on the agent’s waist.
“Taylor was able to defeat the hood mechanism on the holster but could not pull the gun out of the holster due to the other retention features on the holster,” according to court documents.
The agents were “eventually … able to take control of Taylor,” and he was transported to the Lewis County Jail. Jail records indicate he was booked at approximately 3 p.m. on April 24. The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office was notified of the incident at approximately 3:30 p.m. that same day.
Taylor was charged April 25 with two counts of third-degree assault and one count of first-degree attempted unlawful possession of a firearm.
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, May 2.
