Bail Set at $500,000 for Man Accused of Shooting at Two Hunters in East Lewis County

One Hunter Returned Fire After Finding Suspect Looking Through Vehicle, According to Court Documents

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Bail has been set at $500,000 for a man accused of shooting at two people after trying to steal from their vehicle near Packwood on Tuesday. 

The defendant, Jesse G. Bailey, 40, of Randle, was charged Wednesday with two counts of first-degree assault, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. 

Bailey is accused of firing four to five shots from a pistol toward two hunters at Jackpot Lake, located near Forest Road 20 and U.S. Highway 12 southwest of Packwood in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, on Tuesday. 

The two hunters had yelled at a man, later identified as Bailey, after they returned to their trucks to find him “standing on the bumper with the upper part of his body inside the back” of one of the vehicles, a Dodge Durango, according to court documents. 

A woman, who has not been charged with a crime related to the incident in Lewis County Superior Court, was also present. 

Bailey allegedly responded to the hunters’ arrival by dropping what he had and running to his own vehicle, where he allegedly pulled out “a gray pistol” and fired toward the two hunters.  

The two were “standing close together” when Bailey allegedly fired, according to court documents. 

One of the hunters later showed law enforcement “holes in his shirt that came from (Bailey) shooting at them,” according to court documents. 

One of the hunters reportedly fired his hunting rifle back at Bailey, shattering a window on Bailey’s truck. 

The hunters called 911 about 20 minutes after the incident occurred, according to court documents. 

About two hours later, law enforcement located a man and a woman traveling by foot on Forest Road 20. They matched the descriptions given by the two hunters. 

Law enforcement then identified the man as Bailey and arrested him on several unrelated misdemeanor warrants. During the arrest, law enforcement located a set of keys to a truck Bailey claimed had broken down further up the road. He reportedly “refused to answer questions about the shooting.” 

The woman reportedly said “people were shooting at them and she didn’t know why,” and claimed “she was picking berries and didn’t see anything that took place,” according to court documents. 

A deputy with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office soon located Bailey’s truck further up the road and noted the vehicle had a shattered window and had several bullet holes. The deputy reportedly located .22 caliber shell casings and a round near the truck, as well as berries. 



Court documents do not indicate whether law enforcement located the pistol described by the alleged victims. 

State law prohibits Bailey from possessing firearms due to a 2020 conviction on a felony attempting to elude a police vehicle charge. He was additionally convicted on a driving under the influence charge earlier this year and was out of custody pending sentencing when Tuesday’s incident occurred. 

Bailey was booked into the Lewis County Jail at 11:55 p.m. on Oct. 4 and later received medical attention for a “mark” on the right side of his chest. Bailey claimed the injury “came from shrapnel from one of the bullets fired that hit his door,” according to court documents. 

In addition to the first-degree assault charges, Bailey was charged Wednesday with one count each of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and second-degree vehicle prowl.

During his argument Wednesday for setting Bailey’s bail at $500,000, Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead referenced Bailey’s criminal history and the arrest warrants that were active at the time of the incident. 

“Obviously, more important here is the facts of the case,” Halstead said. “He’s a threat not to appear, a threat to the community as well, so $500,000 (is the bail request).” 

While defense attorney Rachael Tiller asked Judge James Lawler to set bail no higher than $250,000 given Bailey’s financial situation and the fact that he’s on a no-bail hold for the DUI case, Lawler ultimately granted Halstead’s bail request. 

“I think he’s at risk of failure to appear. He’s also a risk to community safety,” Lawler said Wednesday. 

Lawler also granted anti-harassment orders protecting the two alleged victims. 

Bailey’s next court appearance is an arraignment hearing scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 13.