A man driving in the Rainier area was arrested for first-degree assault with a deadly weapon against law enforcement after an incident early Saturday, Feb. 3.
According to Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders in a Facebook post, he and deputies were searching for a vehicle associated with a domestic disturbance where the suspect was allegedly intoxicated, armed, suicidal and driving in the Rainier area. They initially could not locate the vehicle and diverted to other 911 calls.
A Thurston County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) deputy was later notified that the suspect was at a specific residence and contacted him there. Sanders wrote that the deputy responded to the call alone because no deputies were available due to the call volume to other priority calls.
As the deputy spoke to nearby residents, the suspect appeared from behind a structure with body armor, a loaded AR-15, a holstered handgun and additional magazines on a duty belt. According to the report, the suspect allegedly aimed his AR-15 at the deputy at close distance with a resident between them. The resident pushed the AR-15 away before any shots were fired, the report stated. A physical fight allegedly ensued, which resulted in the suspect being taken into custody without deadly force, according to the Facebook post.
“We are extremely grateful for the safety of our deputy, the family, and the quick intervention and assistance from the family member who certainly saved numerous lives tonight,” Sanders wrote on Facebook.
Bail was set in the case on Monday, Feb. 5 in the amount of $100,000, according to TCSO.
