A Chehalis man charged for allegedly breaking a man’s leg has claimed that he acted in self defense.
Richard A. Walton Jr. was one of three subjects who were reportedly assaulting a man in the corner of the Walmart parking lot in Chehalis on April 29. Chehalis police responded and spoke to two witnesses. One witness stated that he saw “Richard” and another unnamed man “stomp” on the victim approximately 15 times, while a second witness stated that “he saw a male on the ground being beaten by two males” and “two females were cheering them on.” The second witness reported that he “observed another male attempt to stop the assault.”
The victim was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital where it was revealed that his leg was broken in two places.
The victim told police that another man and a woman had accused him of taking the woman’s cellphone and then “Richard Walton got into the act, and started to kick and stomp on him.” The three reportedly fled the scene before police arrived. While in the hospital, the victim reportedly “said he couldn’t walk, and that Richard Walton did this to him.”
Walton was later located by police and told that the victim’s leg was broken. According to court documents, “Walton said ‘he probably deserved it,’” and told police that he was acting out of self defense after the victim attacked him.
Walton was booked into the Lewis County Jail at 12:30 a.m. on April 30 and has been charged with second-degree assault.
“Mr. Walton explains he acted out of self defense for another and then for himself,” said attorney Rachael Tiller during Walton’s preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on April 30.
Tiller told the court that Walton and another man were assisting a woman after her phone “was taken by force” by the alleged victim, and when confronted, he reportedly punched Walton in the face.
“It is concerning that the assault got to the point of breaking somebody’s bones,” said Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Silvia Irimescu.
While she acknowledged Walton’s lack of felony history, Judge Joely O’Rourke granted Irimescu’s request to set bail at $10,000 and to issue an anti-harassment order for the victim.
Walton has an arraignment hearing scheduled for Thursday, May 6.
