Man charged with felony assault, malicious mischief for allegedly spitting at Centralia library staff member, officer and police vehicle

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com
Posted 11/22/24

A man accused of spitting at a Centralia Timberland Library employee, spitting on an officer who made contact with him then continuing to spit inside a police vehicle to the point where the vehicle …

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Man charged with felony assault, malicious mischief for allegedly spitting at Centralia library staff member, officer and police vehicle

Posted

A man accused of spitting at a Centralia Timberland Library employee, spitting on an officer who made contact with him then continuing to spit inside a police vehicle to the point where the vehicle had to be taken out of service for cleaning on Tuesday is facing felony charges.

Anthony Hector Garcia, 33, was charged Wednesday, Nov. 20, in Lewis County Superior Court with one count each of third-degree assault of a police officer and second-degree malicious mischief.

He was booked into the Lewis County Jail at approximately 10:40 a.m. on  Nov. 19, according to jail records, after officers with the Centralia Police Department responded to a report of a disorderly male at the Centralia Timberland Library in the 100 block of South Silver Street.

The male, who was later identified as Garcia after refusing to provide his name, was reportedly “causing problems for staff and patrons” and began “swearing (at) and insulting staff” when he was told to leave, according to court documents.

He allegedly approached a staff member and “spit directly at her but missed, with the saliva falling short of her feet” before library staff called the police. He reportedly left the library on foot while the staff member was making the call.



Officers located Garcia nearby and attempted to detain him, according to court documents. Officers reportedly took him to the ground after Garcia “struggled with the officers.” While he was on the ground, a sergeant reportedly approached him and asked for his name. In response, Garcia allegedly spit on the sergeant, “hitting her pants and jacket with his saliva,” according to court documents.

He reportedly refused to identify himself and continually yelled racial slurs and other insults at the officers during his arrest and transport to the hospital for medical clearance prior to booking.

While in the back of a patrol vehicle, Garcia allegedly “continued to spew racial slurs and made threats towards (an) officer” and “continued to intentionally spit in the vehicle and on the divider while in the back.”

Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 27.