The WSBeat: Interruptions, intruders, warrants, and more

By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog

From reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers:

*Returning to her Arbor Heights home Friday afternoon of last week, a woman encountered two people — described as a man in his 50s and a woman in her 60s — with their hands inside her mailbox. When they realized they had been spotted, the pair drove away northbound on 35th SW in a new green Chevy Blazer.

*Arriving home in the 8600 block of Fauntleroy SW, a woman encountered a stranger. when she asked what he was doing, he mumbled an excuse involving the names of people that didn’t live there. He walked out the front door as she noticed a brown or rust-colored “boxy” ’80s or ’90s sedan pull away from the neighbor’s driveway. It seems the suspect used a hidden key to get in the home and left behind a blue notebook that had references to Craigslist, pawn shops, and eBay. The suspect was a white male, approximately 25 years old, with brown hair and wearing a baseball cap turned backward.

And there’s more information on another intruder case, one previously covered on WSB, among the 12 summaries ahead:

*Thursday evening, in the 6300 block of California SW, a Morgan Junction resident was booked into King County Jail on a no-bail felony warrant for reckless driving and vehicle prowling … but not before he lied about his identity, assaulted an officer, tried to run away, and got Tasered.

*(More information on the “condo intruder” incident previously reported on WSB:) On Monday evening around 6:30, a man flagged down an officer to report that a woman was trespassing inside a condominium in the 1200 block of Alki SW. When she refused officers’ repeated requests to open the door, a locksmith had to be called (at a cost of more than $1,000) to destroy the door lock. Officers made their way past the chair barricade the woman had erected and followed her onto the deck, where she began screaming. It turns out that she had keys to (and had trespassed in) each unsold unit, causing an unknown amount of damage. Because of her aggressive and erratic behaior she was transported to Harborview Medical Center instead of King County Jail. She is likely to face charges of burglary, malicious mischief, criminal trespass, resisting arrest and obstruction.

*In response to complaints, officers found a woman dressed in black with a black baseball cap knocking on doors in the vicinity of Vashon Pl. and Blake Pl. SW. A records check showed that she was wanted on two misdemeanor warrants for violation of a protection order. She was booked into King County Jail.

*Early Thursday, after “hooking up” with a woman he met at a bar, a Gatewood resident encountered her wrath when he proclaimed that he’d rather be with her friend. He claims she lunged at him with a knife. In response, he admitted he kicked her (and her friend) several times in the face before running off. Found several blocks away in the 3000 block of 60th SW, he was booked into King County jail for investigation of misdemeanor domestic-violence assault.

*Friday morning around 6:30, a woman placed her wallet beneath her car seat and went for a walk in the 1000 block of Harbor Avenue SW. She’d gotten no more than 100 yards away when she noticed a black Nissan truck alongside her car. A suspect broke her car window and removed the wallet.

*Around 11 a.m. (a week ago) Friday, a man was loading his car, which was parked in his driveway in the 2700 block of 37th SW. He left the back door open for a moment while he went into the garage. A silver Japanese-model vehicle pulled up to the driveway, a passenger jumped out, and stole his briefcase from the car.

*Thursday around 4 pm, in the 8600 block of 11th SW, an argument between boyfriend and girlfriend became a more complicated situation when it was discovered that the man was wanted on a $10,000 theft warrant. He was booked into King County Jail.

*Wednesday afternoon, in the 8100 block of 7th SW, a citizen arrived home and found a snarling, protective dog perched on the front porch. Unfortunately, the dog, described as a pit bull, was not a member of the household. It refused to let the man into his own home. Animal Control refused to respond, and no other agencies could help. It took officers awhile, but they were finally able to catch the animal and transport it to Animal Control without incident. The animal’s owner is unknown

*Early Tuesday, a 16-year-old arrived home from work to find his mom both intoxicated and agitated. She began to argue with him, collected several knives from the kitchen, and began stabbing them into the tabletop in front of him. A younger child ran across the street to get a neighbor, who came to the home and was able to take three knives away from mom. By that point she was threatening to kill the 16-year-old. Mom was transported to King County Jail for investigation of domestic-violence harassment. The boys were transported to a relative’s home.

*A Delridge resident admitted he had been smoking meth and spent two days without sleep before he went on a tirade Tuesday evening, screaming threats, pounding cars, and challenging people to fight. At one point he ran into the street and was almost hit by a Metro bus. He was transported to Harborview for treatment.

*A man sleeping on an abandoned couch at 18th and Barton on Thursday was wanted on a $1000 assault warrant. He was booked into King County Jail.

*A citizen called 911 late Saturday to report seeing a woman run from a Bonair residence and jump into the water at Alki. The citizen stayed with the woman for a bit after she resurfaced, walked her home, and reported that the woman said, “just let me die.” When officers arrived, the victim refused to come out of the bathroom, and the home was littered with knives. She screamed derogatory epithets at police and fire personnel and had to be restrained for transport to Harborview.

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WSB Editor’s Note: The WSBeat has an archive category of its own, though we’re also linking the weekly reports on the WSB Crime Watch page, so you can catch it there if you miss it in the main news stream. We also continue to publish crime reports the rest of the week, when we get tips or hear noteworthy incidents via the scanner, so don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening! Thanks.

15 Replies to "The WSBeat: Interruptions, intruders, warrants, and more"

  • westsider August 6, 2011 (11:42 am)

    I wonder why the Mom who acted threatening after abusing (legal) alcohol was transported to Jail, while the Man who was destructive after abusing (illegal) Meth was transported to Harborview for Treatment?

  • coffee August 6, 2011 (12:25 pm)

    I am wondering why animal control refused to come to the residence with the dog that was not the owners dog.

  • Nick August 6, 2011 (12:34 pm)

    I don’t understand why animal control “refused to respond” to the incident of an aggressive unknown dog not allowing someone in their own home? That just doesn’t seem right, or am I the only one? Seems like a pretty legitimate situation for them to respond too? Weird.

  • JimmyG August 6, 2011 (3:28 pm)

    Drunk mom was booked because she had committed a domestic violence crime which is a mandatory arrest in this state.

    Meth Man was taken to the hospital because unless there was a citizen “victim” willing to step up and press charges (give a statement, testify in court against him) then there isn’t a way to arrest him and hospitalization is the recourse.

  • skyblue August 6, 2011 (4:44 pm)

    What??!! Why would animal control refuse to respond? As someone who has encountered angry pit bulls before, that really bothers me. Isn’t that what Animal Control is for? And how did the police get a hold of the dog? I hope the owners know how lucky they are that the police didn’t have to shoot or tazer their dog! Those kind of owners need to be fined big time for being irresponsible dog owners.

  • SJ2 August 6, 2011 (8:42 pm)

    I wondered the same thing about animal control! That makes no sense. I am surprised the police came! I was chased by a pit bull on a holiday that animal control was closed. I called the non emergency police line because I was trapped by the pit bull. They told me that unless the dog bit me, they could not respond and that was animal control’s job. Finally after about an hour the dog ended up leaving.

  • Joan August 6, 2011 (9:44 pm)

    I think there are something like two animal control officers for all of City of Seattle or King County. I’m unsure which. I’ve called them a few times in the past and have never received a response because due to funding cuts, animal control doesn’t necessarily have an officer available to respond. I mean, one person for the entire city of Seattle per day. They have to prioritize.

  • Casey August 6, 2011 (9:46 pm)

    It seems a little ridiculous that animal control refused to respond yet the police had to deliver the dog to animal control anyways?! Is there anyway to get a comment from animal control about why this would happen?!

  • Paul August 6, 2011 (10:24 pm)

    I know that all of skagit county has only one animal control unit due to cost cutting. I have a problem with a lose pitbull up their that sometimes comes on my property and growls at me, it even tried to jump through the front screen door while I was watching tv.. I got a shot off but had to aim high because I didn’t want to hit my car.. The cops came out and all they suggested was to not miss next time, I am not suggesting you shoot at the dog in a major populated area such as yours.. Animal control was contacted but nothing has ever come of it. I can’t go talk to the owner because I am too scared of his dog . I think you have to wait for the dog to actualy mame somebody before anyone will take action…be safe

  • The Velvet Bulldog August 7, 2011 (12:25 pm)

    Megan and/or WSB–is it possible to get a comment from Animal Control as to why this ANIMAL that needed to be CONTROLLED, didn’t fall under their jurisdiction? Thanks!

    • WSB August 7, 2011 (12:42 pm)

      I don’t know if Megan monitors comments; she has seen the report, I have not. I have seen a variety of circumstances in which animal control was unable or had no one to respond and that’s what “refused to respond” COULD mean, for all I know. We try our best to do a lot of followups but I can’t definitely promise this one unless Megan has further knowledge – TR

  • DWHJ August 8, 2011 (8:56 am)

    they dident come for the dog because they knew there was no one to cite but if you’ve bought a pet license in the past they sure make there presence known if you don’t when it expires.Out of jurisdiction thats bull

  • MailBoss August 8, 2011 (5:17 pm)

    Wow, it sounds like Harborview gets a lot of crazies who should maybe be arrested instead! Not that there’s exactly room for them in jail either, sheesh!!! Remember use a locked mailbox to stop mail-identity theft. It’s more common than most people realize..

  • Admiral California August 8, 2011 (8:29 pm)

    If Washington residents don’t want to pay state income tax, they get the animal control they can afford. Which isn’t much, apparently.

  • Interrobang August 10, 2011 (10:18 am)

    @westsider
    The decision was likely based on the mental health and medical acuity required for either party. It’s not based on what’s legal and what’s not – it’s more so based on if the behavior or health is too dangerous for one location of the other. Jails have staff prepared to deal with detox, but based on the history or the meth user hospitalization might have been more appropriate.

Sorry, comment time is over.