A traffic stop for speeding resulted in a foot chase, a scuffle and criminal charges for a 36-year-old Chehalis man on Aug. 13.
The incident occurred a day earlier when a Napavine police officer initiated a traffic stop of a utility vehicle reportedly speeding on Rush Road. While speaking with the driver, the officer noticed what appeared to be a glass device used for smoking marijuana.
According to court documents, the front passenger, Kenneth A. Royster, claimed that the substance was his. The officer ran the suspect’s information and discovered an active Lewis County Superior Court warrant issued in 2022 for failure to register as a sex offender.
After confirming the warrant with dispatch, the officer directed Royster to exit the vehicle and put his hands behind his back. At first, Royster complied, but before the officer could apply handcuffs, Royster allegedly turned, pushed the officer, and fled on foot.
The officer pursued the suspect through the brush toward Sommerville Road. During the chase, the officer attempted to use his Taser. At one point, the suspect stopped running and, according to court documents, “acted as if he was surrendering."
As the officer attempted to take Royster to the ground, Royster allegedly resisted, trying his own takedown. The officer struck him with a “closed fist.” Royster let go. The officer drew his firearm, creating distance between them. He waited for backup.
According to the prosecution, Royster approached and told the officer to shoot him. Eventually, the suspect was taken into custody, after a deputy from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene to assist.
A search of Royster produced “a substance consistent with methamphetamine.” He now faces one count each of third-degree assault, possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest. Court documents list prior convictions that include bail jumping, attempt to elude, failure to register and identity theft, along with juvenile convictions for rape of a child and molestation.
During the preliminary appearance, Judge J. Andrew Toynbee set Royster’s bail at $100,000 cash or bond for the three most recent charges. For the earlier warrant, the judge set bail at $25,000, which was the previous amount set in 2022.
An arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 21. Christopher Baum has been appointed to represent Royster in both cases.
