A 45-year-old Yakima man was arrested outside a Chehalis bar over the weekend after he allegedly refused to leave, threatened to fight one of the owners and then tussled with a police officer before he was finally restrained and detained.
The crux of the matter? Alcohol, according to defense attorney Rachael Tiller, who represented Randy C. Hendricks in a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday.
Hendricks seemed to agree with the take, and no one offered alternative explanations for his alleged behavior. Judge Joely Yeager nevertheless kept Hendricks’s bail set at $20,000 cash or bond — the same amount imposed on Saturday upon his booking.
He faces one count each of second-degree burglary, third-degree assault, second-degree malicious mischief, harassment, first-degree criminal trespassing and resisting arrest.
The second-degree burglary charge carries the greatest maximum punishment of up to 10 years in prison and $20,000 in fines.
According to court documents, the incident began at Garbe’s, where Hendricks allegedly became confrontational with customers and was asked to leave “at least five times.”
Hendricks refused. So an owner stepped in to bounce him.
Hendricks, perhaps buoyed by liquid courage, didn’t budge. Instead, he balled his fists, raised his arms and invited the owner to fight, according to court documents.
No fight took place. Instead, Hendricks turned to leave the bar — just as a Chehalis police officer arrived.
The officer “attempted to detain Hendricks,” but Hendricks “tried to pull away,” yanking off the officer’s pen, penlight and handcuff key from his vest, according to court documents.
The two men hit the floor.
“While on the ground, Hendrickson (sic) began to roll around and try to get away,” court documents stated.
Another officer arrived to assist. The officer struck his knee into Hendricks’ side, but the blow had “no apparent effect,” according to court documents.
Maybe it was the thick clothing Hendricks was wearing that dampened its delivery, as implied in the court documents. Maybe it was the booze.
Regardless, some of the bar patrons kept Hendricks on the ground long enough for officers to apply handcuffs.
Outside the bar, Hendricks allegedly spat toward one of the officers while the officer attempted to do a search. The officer raised his hand to turn Hendricks’ face. Hendricks allegedly tried to bite the hand, but the officer pulled away before Hendricks could clamp down.
Police used a WRAP restraint system to subdue Hendricks and transport him to jail.
After the altercation, one of the officers reportedly noticed his body cam had been damaged.
During the preliminary hearing, Senior Deputy Prosecutor Paul Masiello acknowledged the defendant didn’t have much felony history but noted his 12 past warrants issued in Washington.
Hendricks has a prior conviction for attempted residential burglary in 2012, along with “numerous misdemeanor convictions,” according to court documents.
The defendant also has theft convictions in Louisiana and Oregon.
The main issue, Masiello said, is that Hendricks generally “engages in tumultuous behavior.”
Masiello quickly recapped Hendricks’ alleged disorderly conduct with the owner and assault of the officer. And though he didn’t charge the alleged offense as an assault — instead qualifying it as resisting arrest — Masiello said that the officer did have a “big gash” on his hand.
In issuing her bail judgment, Judge Yeager noted Hendricks’ “extensive history” of not following court orders, and indicated that his warrant history made him a flight risk.
Yeager scheduled an arraignment for Nov. 6. Jacob Clark is assigned to represent Hendricks.
