Knife-wielding man arrested after breaking into Chehalis school; staffers confront suspect

Phillip Charles Anderson accused of pointing knife at throat of Olympic Academy employee  

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com 
Posted 11/21/24

Bail is set at $50,000 for a man accused of breaking into Olympic Academy and threatening a staff member with a knife on Wednesday. 

Located in the 100 block of Northeast Hampe Way, Olympic …

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Knife-wielding man arrested after breaking into Chehalis school; staffers confront suspect

Phillip Charles Anderson accused of pointing knife at throat of Olympic Academy employee  

Posted

Bail is set at $50,000 for a man accused of breaking into Olympic Academy and threatening a staff member with a knife on Wednesday. 

Located in the 100 block of Northeast Hampe Way, Olympic Academy is an K-12 alternative school operated by Educational Service District 113 for students with mental and behavioral health concerns. 

Phillip Charles Anderson, 37, of Centralia, was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail just before 11:25 a.m. on Nov. 20, according to court and jail records. 

Officers with the Chehalis Police Department responded to a report made at approximately 10:55 a.m. on Nov. 20 that an unidentified male had “walked into the school” and “was shoving something sharp into the door,” according to Chehalis police call logs. 

An Olympic Academy staff member reported that a male, who was later identified as Anderson, was seen trying to pry open a locked back door before moving to an access door on the north side of the building. 

Meanwhile, a different staff member was escorting students to the bathroom when one student bumped a door handle, opening a door to the outside, according to court documents. 

The staff member reported that “the door flew open and an unknown male stepped inside, demanding to know what was going on.” 

He was later identified as the same male seen trying to pry open the back door. 

The staff member reportedly “tried to calm the male down, telling him that it was none of his business and that the male had to leave the building.” 

Anderson allegedly refused to leave the building. 

Meanwhile, a third staff member was investigating the first staff member’s report of a male trying to pry open the back door. While searching for the suspect, the staff member reportedly entered the access door on the north side of the building and “came face to face with the male suspect.” 

That staff member then took over the confrontation from the staff member who had been escorting students, according to court documents. 

After the staff member told Anderson to leave several times, Anderson allegedly “pointed a knife at (the employee’s) throat” and said “back off,” according to court documents. 

The subjects were reportedly between 2 and 3 feet apart when Anderson allegedly drew the knife.  

The employee told police “he feared for his safety, but felt it was his duty … to get the male out of the building” and said “he was afraid that if he said the wrong thing, Anderson would have harmed him.” 



Anderson had reportedly left the building and was in the school’s parking lot by the time school staff called the police. 

He was reportedly “standing in the middle of the street, blocking traffic,” when officers arrived. 

A large kitchen knife was found on a concrete barrier near where offices contacted Anderson, according to court documents. 

A second large knife, which officers referred to as a “machete” in their reports, was found among Anderson’s belongings upon his arrest. 

Officers reportedly documented pry marks on the door jam where Anderson allegedly placed a knife to try and open the locked back door. 

When questioned, Anderson allegedly said “he left his machete by the door and that he was allowed inside” and said “he went in the school to check out ‘what was going on’” before “someone confronted him inside the building and came up from behind him,” according to court documents. He allegedly “said he then went to leave, grabbed mis machete from the back door, and walked out.” 

Anderson was charged Thursday, Nov. 21, in Lewis County Superior Court with one count each of felony harassment, first-degree burglary, second-degree assault, third-degree malicious mischief and disorderly conduct. 

While Anderson has no convictions on his criminal record, he has two pending reckless burning charges in Chehalis Municipal Court from August and September, according to Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher, who asked Judge J. Andrew Toynbee to set Anderson’s bail at $100,000.

“I don’t know what’s going on here, but we’re very concerned about the public’s safety in this case and that’s why we’re asking for the high bail,” Meagher said during Anderson’s preliminary hearing on Thursday. 

“I share Mr. Meager’s concern with the allegations here, which are very alarming, very concerning, and then the two reckless burnings from August and September,” Toynbee said Thursday. 

Due to Anderson’s financial indigency, Toynbee set Anderson’s bail lower than the prosecution’s request. 

“I believe that $50,000 is sufficient to protect the public,” Toynbee said. 

When informed that his conditions of release prohibited him from going to the Olympic Academy until his case is resolved, Anderson said, “If I’ve got to make bail at all, I can’t go. I haven’t got anybody to help me out there, it’s just me.” 

Defense attorney Rachael Tiller informed the court that Anderson did not have the financial ability to post any bail. 

Arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 17.