The felony case against a Mossyrock man accused of trapping his elderly father inside a residence in July has been dismissed in Lewis County Superior Court.
The case consisted of one count of unlawful imprisonment that was filed against Lance R. Swofford, 45, in August.
Swofford had been accused of using a tie-down ratchet strap to secure the handle of a door to a fifth-wheel trailer in the 410 block of Young Road on July 7. An Adult Protective Services worker noticed the strap when she arrived at the residence and noted the strap “was tied such that the door could not be opened” from either the inside or the outside, according to court documents.
Swofford reportedly claimed he had acted to protect his father and prevent him from “wandering off,” according to court documents.
A Lewis County Superior Court judge ruled to dismiss the case without prejudice, meaning it can be refiled in the same court of law, on Thursday.
