A Centralia man faces possible prison time after he allegedly lied about being stabbed Tuesday, according to the Centralia Police Department.
Rick J. Summitt, 28, made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court Wednesday for one count of malicious prosecution, a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
A judge released Summitt from custody on an unsecured bond. As part of his release conditions, Summitt is prohibited from having any contact with witnesses in the case.
He is scheduled for an arraignment on July 2.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Centralia police on Tuesday responded to a reported stabbing at a home on Pearl Street.
An officer spoke with Summitt at the scene. Summitt, who was bleeding from both forearms, said he’d called 911.
According to the affidavit, Summitt accused a man of stabbing him inside the home. When medics arrived to treat Summitt, however, they noticed that Summitt’s injuries “appeared more consistent with scratches — specifically … cat scratches rather than stab wounds.”
Because Summitt allegedly insisted he had been stabbed, officers detained the presumed suspect in handcuffs while they continued to investigate.
“Further investigation revealed that Summitt was in the basement of the residence by himself and everyone else was upstairs,” the affidavit said.
According to the affidavit, Summitt and his girlfriend had been texting “about getting a protection order between them.” A witness said Summitt had been asked to leave the home.
The suspect, meanwhile, was reportedly using his phone to find a hotel for Summitt’s girlfriend “when they saw that police were outside,” according to the affidavit.
The girlfriend reportedly told police that she didn’t see Summitt cut his forearms, but described similar past behavior.
Despite the alleged mounting evidence against him, Summitt continued to accuse the suspect of stabbing him. Officers eventually arrested Summitt and booked him into the Lewis County Jail.
According to court records, Summitt was convicted of unlawful imprisonment in 2025 and sentenced to 30 days in jail with 22 days of credit for time served.
His sentence included one year of community custody.
