A man involved in a car collision with a train in Chehalis on Wednesday is accused of fleeing the scene of the crash on foot, breaking into a nearby apartment by crawling through the attic and fighting officers who attempted to detain him.
Officers with the Chehalis Police Department were dispatched to a vehicle versus train collision in the 300 block of Southwest Third Street just before 9:40 p.m. on Feb. 15.
They arrived to find an unoccupied white 2012 Hyundai “that had sustained heavy damage” parked on the tracks. The train crew advised that a man, who was later identified as Brandon C. Smith, 19, of Chehalis, “had been driving the vehicle and left the area after the collision,” according to documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court on Thursday.
A bystander reported seeing Smith run toward his residence in the Chehalis Avenue Apartments, according to court documents. An officer reportedly saw him outside the apartment, but when Smith saw the officer, he allegedly “turned around and ran back in,” according to court documents.
Deputies with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and Washington State Patrol troopers soon arrived to help secure the area, according to court documents. While the officers were gathering, a deputy and an officer “heard a loud crash” from the apartment adjoining Smith’s.
One of Smith’s relatives reportedly “advised Mr. Smith is able to crawl” from his apartment to the one next door “via the attic,” according to court documents.
The ceiling drywall in the neighboring apartment, which was otherwise unoccupied, “appeared to be damaged as if someone fell through it,” according to court documents.
While the apartment Smith allegedly fell into was vacant, the property’s maintenance person later told law enforcement he wished to press charges for the break-in, according to court documents.
After obtaining a search warrant for both apartments, officers entered the neighboring apartment. As soon as the officers entered, other officers posted behind the building reportedly saw Smith “exit a window on the second floor, walk across the roof and re-enter (his apartment),” according to court documents. Officers entered Smith’s apartment and reportedly saw him “trying to flee out a window.”
After exiting the window, Smith allegedly “began to fight” with a trooper, allegedly stating “I have a gun” and “I am going to kill you,” according to court documents.
Officers were eventually able to detain Smith, who allegedly “continued to resist arrest.”
Call logs from the Chehalis Police Department indicate a Taser was deployed.
After receiving medical aid, Smith was booked into the Lewis County Jail just before 4:25 a.m. on Feb. 16.
He is now facing six charges in Lewis County Superior Court related to the incident: one count each of felony harassment, second-degree burglary, hit-and-run to an attended vehicle, obstructing a law enforcement officer, third-degree malicious mischief and failure to comply with community custody.
Of those charges, one — second degree burglary — is a class B felony carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, two are class C felonies carrying a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison, and three are gross misdemeanors with maximum penalties of 364 days in prison.
He was additionally booked on a Department of Corrections warrant for an unrelated non-compliance with community custody case.
At the time of his arrest, he had four pending fourth-degree assault charges in Chehalis Municipal Court and one pending fourth-degree assault, domestic violence charge in Centralia Municipal Court, according to court documents.
“I’ve never seen anyone with this many assault cases (out of jail) on conditions of release,” said Judge Joely Yeager during Smith’s preliminary hearing for his Lewis County Superior Court case on Thursday.
During that hearing, Yeager opted to set Smith’s bail at $100,000 due to community safety concerns.
“I knew I wasn’t going to get out today. I’m not dumb,” said Smith after Yeager set his bail amount. He then expressed interest in seeking mental health treatment through the court system.
“I have a problem, it’s real, and I need to take care of it,” he said Thursday.
Smith was advised to coordinate with his attorney to see what mental health treatment options he could access within the Lewis County Jail.
Smith’s arraignment hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 23.
