A Randle man charged for assaulting a man with a baseball bat in January 2019 has pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree assault and will serve a total of 12 months and one day in prison followed by 18 months in community custody and mandatory drug and alcohol treatment, Lewis County Superior Court determined last week.
Benjamin E. Eastman Jr., 42, had initially been charged with first-degree burglary and second-degree assault after he kicked in the door to a Randle residence and assaulted the occupant with a baseball bat.
He reportedly left after the victim brandished a firearm. Police later contacted him after talking to the victim, who had suffered a head laceration and a broken arm, according to court documents.
The victim told investigators at the time that he had never met Eastman but that he was in a relationship with someone Eastman had previously been involved with.
“I did assault another, (the victim), with a baseball bat. The assault was intentional and (the victim) suffered substantial bodily injuries,” Eastman said in a written guilty plea, which was submitted to the court on May 14.
Eastman was arrested Jan. 30, 2019, and was released from the Lewis County Jail on a $200,000 bail bond a few days later, according to court documents.
He was taken into custody following his sentencing hearing on June 25 to serve his jail sentence.
Eastman will receive credit for the jail time he has already served. He has also been ordered to pay restitution to the victim, in an amount that the court will determine at a later hearing.
