WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: 2 followups, one alert

In West Seattle Crime Watch, two followups and an alert:

FOLLOWUP – SUSPECT AWAKENED IN STOLEN CAR: Remember last Friday’s incident in Arbor Heights during which Guardian One‘s crew recorded that video of Seattle Police awakening a man found asleep in a stolen car? The suspect got out of jail tonight after five days. Prosecutors have yet to charge 34-year-old Craig R. Crisler in last week’s case but we are identifying him because he was being held on a warrant from a similar case in which he is charged. Crisler was charged three weeks ago in a February case in which police found him asleep in a stolen pickup truck in Burien. Also asleep in the truck, a 6-year-old whose mother is described in court documents as Crisler’s girlfriend; he was taking care of the child because she had been booked into jail two days earlier. The child was turned over to CPS; meantime, it was discovered that the stolen truck had been painted a new color since it was taken, and that it was found to contain tools including a pressure washer stolen from someone else. Crisler missed a court appearance in the case and that led to a warrant carrying $5,000 bail. He posted bond tonight and got out before 9 pm. Court documents from the Burien case show his last known address in North Shorewood, not far from where he was arrested last Friday.

SPEAKING OF STOLEN TOOLS: We’ve published more than a few reader reports recently of tools stolen in break-ins, both vehicles and structures. This alert from Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner says it’s a trend:

The SW Precinct Crime Analysis Unit Detective informed us of a recent crime trend involving burglaries of sheds, outbuildings, and garages. A variety of items have been stolen including bicycles, power tools and generators.

Please keep an eye out on your sheds/garages/out buildings! Ensure they are securely locked, regularly check to see if your door has been tampered with, take inventory of your items and secure bicycles with quality locks! Remember to always report theft and suspicious behavior to the Seattle Police Department by calling 911.

ONE MORE FOLLOWUP: Back on March 24th, we reported on trouble for a Southwest Precinct police officer while he was taking a suspect to jail – the suspect allegedly started a fire in the patrol car just as they were arriving downtown. As first reported in The Seattle Times, that suspect, 24-year-old Nickolas J. Osborne, is now charged with felony malicious mischief and misdemeanor harassment.

We have obtained the court documents, which say the latter charge is for the original reason he was arrested, reportedly harassing Lincoln Park and Lowman Beach park visitors and threatening them with a stick. The former is for the squad-car fire. The charging papers say that even before being placed in the car, Osborne was accusing police of being “agents of the Illuminati” out to get him; in the car, police say, he “slipped his handcuffed hands to the front of his body, unbuckled his seatbelts and began violently kicking the rear driver side window.” The officer radioed for backup at that point. Osborne then allegedly said the officer would have to kill him and should be nervous. After that, the charges say in-car video shows Osborne picking up a lighter from the car floor (whose lighter, it doesn’t say), using it to generate a flame, and setting the car ceiling on fire, including a camera; he was recorded, the report continues, saying, “There we go! Let’s both burn in hell!” Shortly afterward, the officer pulled over and got the suspect out of the car; Osborne’s clothing had ignited but he wasn’t hurt, nor was the officer. The car was damaged badly enough that it had to be taken out of service, SPD says. Osborne remains in jail, his bail set at $10,000.

27 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: 2 followups, one alert"

  • Quora April 5, 2018 (12:21 am)

    Sounds like some really great members of our community. Can’t wait until they are back on the streets perpetrating more crime. Awesome.

    • Anon April 5, 2018 (7:08 am)

      Great news, the first one is already out! Don’t worry, I’m sure he learned his lesson after the first 2 arrests. There’s no way he’d repeat the same crime a third time, right?

    • Michael April 5, 2018 (8:37 am)

      So, what, lock people up for life for any crime?

      • P April 5, 2018 (12:32 pm)

        It’s their solution to everything. Don’t try and help them just lock them up and throw away the key. 

    • Ronald Thompson April 12, 2018 (10:25 am)

      He is a nice guy he is just messed up on drugs he needs help not to be locked up for ever i mean come on people he isnt a child molester he is just having a hard time give him a break

  • flimflam April 5, 2018 (6:11 am)

    gah, that poor 6 year old. terrible.

    • Dor April 5, 2018 (11:45 am)

      Yes- those are the only 2 options- immediately release repeated felons on their own recognizance, or lock people up for life for any crime. 

  • Swede. April 5, 2018 (6:54 am)

    How do you manage to fall asleep right after being chased by police!? Still IN the car!

    • WSB April 5, 2018 (1:55 pm)

      He wasn’t being chased by police in either case – the car came to their attention, he was asleep inside it and pulled out. I read the probable-cause/superform documentation for the Arbor Heights incident and it doesn’t indicate how Guardian One got involved; often if there’s helicopter involvement in a non-search type case, it’s because they were up, nearby, and asked if they could help.

  • waikikigirl April 5, 2018 (7:37 am)

    As FlimFlam  states… the poor child

  • Bill April 5, 2018 (8:06 am)

    Drugs can change even the best of people. Went to school with this guy. Haven’t seen him in a long time. He was a great guy. He got along with pretty much everyone. He has a good family. I am sorry that he is struggling right now. I hope he pulls through it.

    • Charly April 5, 2018 (9:02 am)

      Hope both adults involved can turn this around for the sake of this child if not for themselves. 

  • Native April 5, 2018 (8:49 am)

    Thanks to West Seattle blog for the great follow up on these repeat criminals of West Seattle.

    Any more on the Sara Hansen case of knife attacking or Nicholas David Watson the 11 Time felon. Last word was he had 52000 bail and was still in jail? Thanks again.

    • WSB April 5, 2018 (9:36 am)

      We’re continuing to check on them and a long list of defendants in other cases of note that are working their way through the court system. Watson is still in jail, no change since our last report two weeks ago; bail still $52,050, next hearing 4/12. Kierra Ward also remains in jail, bail still $400,000, no activity since our last report in mid-March
      https://westseattleblog.com/2018/03/crime-watch-followups-from-3-west-seattle-cases-court-files/
      Her trial-readiness hearing is still set for 4/13.

      We also should find out soon what happens next in the Ryan Cox (Gatewood stabbing) case, as his three months at Western State for attempted restoration of competency are almost up.

      • Native April 5, 2018 (11:29 am)

        Great follow up. especially Watson who I believe stole no less than 3 cars , maybe more and hit homes in West Seattle. He is a bad man and each time he is released he returns to West Seattle and  goes at it again.

        thanks again for our updates and we stay vigil to these repeat offenders.

  • Rick April 5, 2018 (11:54 am)

    Isn’t “catch and release” supposed to help preserve a species? It appears to be working well.

  • MJ April 5, 2018 (12:31 pm)

    Rick 

    Well stated! 

    It’s only a matter of time before a owner of a vehicle takes matters into their hands!

    People are getting frustrated with the ongoing catch and release system, that per Rick is more than enabling these criminals to flourish in our neighborhoods. 

    I for one would like to see these criminals locked up and forced to work, for example chain gangs conducting street cleaning, park cleaning et al.

    MJ

    • Got it April 5, 2018 (2:04 pm)

      You all would be freaking out if you knew how much it cost to keep them in jail too, shout that we should vote council out and demand lower property taxes.  So perspective.  

      Jail and prison don’t solve problems. Investing in social workers, rehab programs,  job training etc are far more effective and less costly. But hey, if lock them up and throw away the key makes you feel better I hear feelings are facts now.

      • PangolinPie April 6, 2018 (9:07 am)

        Jail would certainly solve the problem of them breaking into cars and homes, for a few years at least. 

  • rico April 5, 2018 (3:22 pm)

    Social programs may work in the long term (rehab and job training not so much in my opinion, too many don’t really want to work hard), but we are talking about needing some short term solutions to a situation that a majority of the tax paying public have concluded is unacceptable and needs action.  For those of you that suggest we just let the system go along its’ merry way with no change to solve the immediate issues, please stop being so disrespectful of your hardworking tax paying neighbors who rightfully feel otherwise.

    Until we can change the culture long term with the social programs some of you believe will reverse this trend, we need solutions.  I think many of us who are empathetic people are simply fed up with the culture being created where people are not expected to take care of themselves and expect government to do so (mental illness excluded here).  

    My children see so many situations where it appears entirely acceptable to break basic laws with no consequences, leave messes, steal with no fear of punishment, expect someone else to buy your food and home etc.  The current trend creates an increasingly difficult challenge to raise kids who can take care of themselves, when they constantly see a reality where that is not the case and many people and politicians think that is fine.   

    I think lack of taking a hard line stance will only result in a long term increase in this type of behavior, not a decrease.  I suspect many of you who believe in this system of no accountability have never raised children.  If you did good chance they are not big producers in society.  A parents job does include taking a hard stance and doing the difficult things, not just being loving, compassionate, etc and continuing to hand out the basics.  Same with society in my opinion.

  • KT April 5, 2018 (3:59 pm)

    Sure would be nice if many of the posters on this blog cared half as much for the victims of these miscreants.  

  • Quora April 5, 2018 (9:33 pm)

    Seriously…why so much compassion for the criminals that break laws every day in our community?

    I think some of you people are insane. Nobody is advocating locking these criminals up for life, or even an extended period of time. But if you have to dedicate resources left and right to continue to catch the same folks over and over again committing the same crimes in our neighborhood, perhaps a better approach is needed.

    Catch and release? Why? Because they are rehabilitated? Pfffft, as if that would ever happen. And to the fellow above who knows the criminal referenced in the article; I myself am not making light of someone addicted to drugs. That is a bad situation. But am I to also ignore the criminal component to his acts? If you want to do dope in your own house and not harm anyone but yourself; then fine.

    If you steal other people’s property to fund your drug addiction, well that’s where I draw the line. No longer is it a victimless crime. People around here need to toughen up and understand that we are the ones being taken advantage of. Tax paying, law abiding, upstanding members of the community are the ones that need to be calling the shots around here; not people strung out on smack.

    • Squashed April 5, 2018 (10:06 pm)

      Amen, brother!!

      i don’t think this guy buys gas, he just steals a new car. And even though my car is a piece of crap, I need it to go to work and transport my child, and it would be very burdensome and costly to replace. Therefore, I don’t want  some drug addict to steal it from me, even if he was a great guy in high school. 

    • FedUp April 6, 2018 (8:24 am)

      Quora, 

      Well said.  I attended the last West Seattle Block Watch meeting at the Police station. The DA’s office said their hands are tied a lot of times but in this case the guy was in jail for 5 days and new charges weren’t filed?  What?!?!!?  he was found in a stolen car and he had prior arrests?  So let’s solve the problem releasing him back into the wild to commit more crimes.  Our judges need to be replaced.  The cops keep arresting the same guys over and over in our neighborhoods. They stay the night or two in jail and released with a promise to show up for court? This guy didn’t and yet the judge let him go a second time? 

    • Ronald Thompson April 12, 2018 (10:37 am)

      Im rehabilitated Ronald Thompson i needed help i used to do all the same things he did as a teen.  Stealing cars going into garages car prowling . Im ashamed and im sorry i wish i could go back in time but im here in the community and my neighbors now love me im truly sorry for all the wrong and hurt ive caused. 

  • Bill April 7, 2018 (5:36 am)

    Definitely not supporting thieft. I understand that taking someone’s things is wrong. There should be repercussions for that. I also feel sorry for the victims of these crimes and the problems that it caused them in their life’s. The fact of the matter is that no amount of jail will cure their addiction. Something from inside them has to change. Until that happens it is useless to even try. With that being said I believe that community service is a good solution to small crimes. Even if that means an armed guard taking them as inmates into the community to do community service. Cars and materialistic things can be replaced. People can not.

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