A Silver Creek man has been charged for allegedly threatening a victim with a crossbow in the Chehalis Walmart parking lot.
Chehalis Police Department officers responded to the Walmart in the Northwest 1600 block of Louisiana Avenue at 10:20 p.m. on June 19 and spoke to the victim, who reported that the defendant, 32-year-old Christopher D. McLeod, had gotten into her vehicle and threatened her with a crossbow after she reportedly refused to help him “collect taxes,” according to court documents.
McLeod had reportedly called the victim to ask for a ride, and when she picked him up, she noticed he had a backpack with him.
McLeod got in the vehicle but after the two got into an argument over the victim’s unwillingness to “drive McLeod around and help him ‘collect taxes,’” she asked him to exit the vehicle but he refused — allegedly removing a loaded crossbow from the backpack and pointing it at her.
“While he was pointing the crossbow at her, McLeod said that he would make her help,” according to court documents.
McLeod then allegedly fired the crossbow at the windshield, cracking it.
The victim told police “she felt unable to leave the vehicle, but called 911, at which point McLeod exited the vehicle and fled on foot.”
Officers later located and arrested McLeod. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail at 1:15 a.m. on June 20.
He has been charged with one count of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon, domestic violence, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to $20,000 in fines.
Due to the violent nature of the allegations and because McLeod has four prior domestic violence convictions on his criminal record, Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher requested that Judge James W. Lawler set McLeod’s bail at $75,000. Defense attorney David Brown asked for an unsecured amount to allow McLeod to be released from jail.
Lawler opted to set McLeod’s bail at $100,000.
“Community safety is a real concern,” he said.
Lawler also approved a protection order for the victim.
As of Tuesday afternoon, McLeod had not posted bail and was still in custody at the Lewis County Jail.
His next court appearance is an arraignment hearing scheduled for Thursday, June 24.
