In late last night, we have an update and story to bring you from an incident that took place earlier this last week where a Hoquiam Police Officer was assaulted while taking a suspect into custody, with that suspect getting loose and escaping.  The suspect was later caught the next day. 

Here is what we have from Hoquiam Police Chief Myers; 

On Wednesday, February 7, 2018, at 1450 hours, Sgt. Mitchell was on patrol in the area of 7th Street near the bus mall when he observed a male subject lingering in the area. Due to afternoon vehicle prowls in the area, Sgt. Mitchell kept an eye on a male subject until the subject ducked in an out of several locations before running.

Sgt. Mitchell circled the block, but the subject had disappeared. After checking the area, he suddenly located the subject between two buildings in the 500 block of J Street after the male had obviously jumped fences and ran through yards to escape.

Sgt. Mitchell attempted to detain the male for trespassing near a storage shed in the side yard. Sgt. Mitchell was able to apply one handcuff before the subject started to physically resist. Upon the warning he would be tased, the suspect relented for a moment, but then suddenly spun around and punched the officer in the head.

During the course of the subsequent struggle, the suspect was able to rip the Taser out of the sergeant’s hand as the sergeant attempted to control the suspect’s arm with the handcuff applied. A handcuff on one arm can be swung around and used as a dangerous weapon.

As the struggle ensued, the sergeant continued to try to control the suspect while the suspect used the Taser like a hammer to hit the sergeant in the head. The suspect attempted to push over the sergeant, but the sergeant kicked and rolled to keep the suspect off of him. The sergeant attempted to grab the suspect, but he ran off toward a fence with one handcuff still attached to his arm.

Additional Hoquiam, Aberdeen, Sheriff’s Office and State Patrol units responded to the area to search for the suspect. GH Transit was notified and Central School was placed in lock-down. Despite an extensive canine search of the area, the suspect was not located.

Sgt. Mitchell was treated at the scene by the Hoquiam Fire Department for abrasions, bumps and bruises to his head, elbows and knees as a result of the assault.

Sgt. Mitchell was not familiar with the suspect, but the suspect had dropped his backpack with personal items during the fight. HPD officers spent the night cross-checking names, aliases and Facebook pages until they were able to identify the suspect as a 19-year old Aberdeen transient wanted on outstanding felony and misdemeanor warrants.

On Thursday, February 8, 2018, Sgt. Mitchell was checking additional possible locations where the suspect may hang-out. The suspect was located at a residence in the 100 block of Eisenhower Street and arrested without incident.

The suspect told detectives he was aware of the warrant for his arrest, but denied he had struck the sergeant when contacted. The suspect indicated he had cut-off and thrown the handcuffs in the river.

The suspect was booked into the County Jail for felony 3rd degree assault of a police officer, disarming an officer, obstructing and resisting arrest, as well as the outstanding felony probation warrant.