Bail has been set at $10,000 for a Centralia man accused of threatening a relative with a hatchet on Sunday.
Collin Boehm, 27, allegedly “came at (the alleged victim) full force” while swinging a hatchet and saying “I’m going to kill you” while the victim was backing away, according to court documents.
Boehm had reportedly told another relative that the victim “got him hooked on meth” and allegedly told her he was going to kill the victim.
Boehm reportedly entered a property in the 300 block of North Gold Street while the victim was there, asked the other relative “if she wanted to say goodbye” and “if she wanted to tell her kids that she loved them” before allegedly going after the victim, according to court documents.
According to the other relative, Boehm “had been having mental health issues” and “made statements about him killing himself and that he wanted police to kill him.”
The other relative called 911 shortly before 8:15 p.m. and the victim left the scene.
Officers had not located the victim as of Monday afternoon.
With the victim gone, Boehm reportedly “tossed the hatchet away.”
An officer with the Centralia Police Department later located the hatchet outside the property.
When questioned by officers, Boehm allegedly said he “lost his crap” with the victim and, while he initially denied threatening the victim, he later allegedly admitted “that he might have said ‘I’ll kill you, man’” and admitted to holding a hatchet.
Boehm was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail just before 9:20 p.m. on Sept. 11.
He has since been charged with one count each of second-degree assault, a class B felony, and harassment, a gross misdemeanor.
Members of Boehm’s family, including the relative who witnessed the assault, were present in Lewis County Superior Court to support Boehm during his preliminary hearing on Monday.
While Deputy Prosecutor Sarah Beigh acknowledged that Boehm had no criminal history and so failure to reappear wasn’t a concern, she said “the concern is the allegations” and asked for $25,000 bail.
Defense Attorney Rachael Tiller asked Judge James Lawler to set bail no higher than $10,000 given Boehm’s lack of criminal history, his family’s support in the courtroom and the fact that he and the alleged victim don’t live together.
Lawler said that, given the defendant and victim don’t reside together, he would grant Tiller’s request for $10,000 bail.
His next scheduled court appearance is an arraignment hearing scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 15.
