.png.jpg)
Bail is set at $1 million for a man accused of “ganging up” on a man with a group of teens in Chehalis on Saturday, beating him in the head with a retaining wall brick and causing severe injuries.
The incident involves at least five suspects who allegedly attacked the victim in the 300 block of Southwest Third Street on March 1, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in Lewis County Superior Court.
Four suspects — three juveniles and one adult — have been arrested. An arrest warrant for a fifth individual has been issued, according to Lewis County Superior Court Judge Paul Strophy.
The incident “appears to be somewhat gang related,” Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead said Tuesday, noting that the victim was wearing a shirt possibly associated with a local gang.
Video of the incident reportedly shows the suspects “taking multiple roles in the attack to include kicking/stomping on his head, strangling him, punching him in the face and body, and dropping (a) retaining wall brick over his head,” according to the affidavit of probable cause.
In surveillance footage of the attack, the suspects can also reportedly be heard threatening to kill the suspect and making statements regarding a gang.
“This involved a beating that lasted for an extended amount of time out in public,” Halstead said during a preliminary hearing for the adult suspect, Jamal George West, 19, of Chehalis, in Lewis County Superior Court on Tuesday.
West faces two counts of second-degree assault, which is a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The victim was transported to Capital Medical Center for treatment of multiple lacerations, an orbital hemorrhage, broken teeth and strangulation, according to court documents.
“This was an extremely violent event,” Halstead said of the incident, adding that he has viewed the video footage and that, in his opinion, “the probable cause statement doesn't even come close” to doing the violence and cruelty of the incident justice.
Noting that the location of the incident was in full view of the street, Halstead said, “These kids didn’t care. They didn’t care at all. It went on and on and on.”
Defense attorney Rachael Tiller replied Tuesday that she wasn’t provided the video of the incident and said “It is difficult when we hear the state arguing on the video that has not been provided (to) or seen by the defense.”
While she asked for West’s bail to be set at no higher than $250,000 due to his young age and lack of felony history, Strophy ultimately granted Halstead’s request for $1 million bail.
“The nature of the event is very violent and the affidavit of probable cause, as brief as it is, makes that very clear,” Strophy said.
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, March 13.
The cases for the three juveniles are being handled in Lewis County Juvenile Court. Juvenile court records are not public record in Washington state.
