Two weeks ago, we reported that the trial was under way for 43-year-old Chayce A. Hanson, a West Seattle man charged with five felonies including rape and witness tampering. After tips from people following the case, we have confirmed via court documents this morning that a King County Superior Court jury found Hanson guilty on all five counts: Second-degree rape, witness tampering, second-degree assault, hit-and-run, and vehicular assault. In addition, the jury included a “special verdict” that the assault was done with sexual motivation. Hanson was found guilty of raping a West Seattle woman, described as an acquaintance, in February 2017, while she was incapacitated because she had been seriously injured in a crash that he didn’t report. The witness-tampering charge resulted from Hanson trying to get the victim to sign a document saying he had not raped her.
Hanson has a felony conviction in his past, for killing his girlfriend’s 2-year-old daughter in Renton in 2000 by kicking her down a flight of stairs. He was originally found guilty of murder but a state Supreme Court ruling overturned the conviction and he subsequently pleaded guilty to manslaughter. We have an inquiry out with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to find out when Hanson will be sentenced in the rape case. He has been in jail since the rape charge was filed two years ago.
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