Bail is set at $50,000 for the Centralia man arrested Friday night after a report of domestic assault led to a standoff at the King Oscar Motel on Eckerson Road.
Antwuan James, 27, was booked into the Lewis County Jail for threats to kill, domestic violence, at 11:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11, according to jail records and a news release from the Centralia Police Department.
He was charged Monday, Oct. 14, in Lewis County Superior Court with one count each of felony harassment and fourth-degree assault. Each charge carries a domestic violence enhancement.
James was arrested after officers with the Centralia Police Department responded to a report from a woman at 8:18 p.m. Friday that James had physically assaulted her and threatened to kill her.
Officers contacted the woman in the parking lot of a nearby business, where she reported that James “has mental issues and was telling her to take license plates (off) of vehicles because he thought people were following him” and that James “had been drinking, which causes issues when he drinks (because) he becomes ‘irate,’” according to charging documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday.
The woman reported she and James had gotten into an argument outside of the King Oscar Motel, during which James allegedly threatened to punch her in front of her children. When the woman told him “he would go to jail if he made a scene,” James allegedly “responded by saying ‘not if I kill you first,’” according to court documents.
James has a criminal history of domestic violence against the same woman involved in the Oct. 11 incident, according to court records.
The woman told police on Friday that “she feared (James) would carry through with his threat because of their domestic violence past, which included him shooting her in the face with a BB gun while she was pregnant,” according to court documents.
James had allegedly assaulted her earlier that day by grabbing her arm when she told him she planned to leave him, according to court documents. Officers who responded to the motel Friday night observed the bruise on her arm from the assault
After James threatened to kill her, the woman reported, she told James she did not want to argue in front of the children and went to check into the King Oscar Motel. When she returned to the vehicle, she said she learned James “had called her daughter ‘dumb’ and had pushed her on the chest hard,” according to court documents.
Centralia police later spoke to the daughter, who reportedly confirmed James had pushed her on the chest in the car and later pushed her to the ground as she was walking to the hotel room, causing her to fall and get observable scrapes on her knees, according to court documents.
After learning James had allegedly assaulted her daughter, the woman reportedly asked James to exit the vehicle, which he refused to do. He allegedly agreed to go up to the motel room when the woman said she would go with him.
After he exited the vehicle, the woman locked the doors to the car, drove away and called 911.
“Officers responded to the hotel room where the assault had occurred and where James was currently staying,” the Centralia Police Department stated in a news release. “Attempts were made to get James to come outside to the officers but he refused and stated that the officers would have to come and get him and that he would fight them. A criminal history search for James revealed that he had an extensive history of violent acts to include domestic violence assaults, assaults on officers and unlawful possession of firearms.”
The woman called James while officers were attempting to get him to leave the room, according to court documents. On the phone, James allegedly said “he could not believe she was breaking up with him” and said “he ‘had to’” when the woman said he’d threatened to punch her earlier that day, according to court documents.
Noting the nature of the most recent incident, James’ history and his refusal to cooperate with officers, the Centralia Critical Response Unit (CRU) was called to assist in the arrest, according to police.
A warrant to enter James’ hotel room was obtained, and CRU readied efforts to force him to exit the room and be taken into custody. Instead, a Centralia police negotiator was able to make phone contact with James and convince him to surrender.
“He has refused to provide a statement about what occurred,” according to court documents.
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 17.
