A 27-year-old Olympia man accused of instigating a fight and stomping on a person's head Sunday is being held in the Thurston County jail in lieu of $200,000 bail.
Cliver Mesubed Telei attended his preliminary appearance in Thurston County Superior Court on Monday.
Olympia police arrested him Sunday night on suspicion of first-degree assault. The incident occurred by an apartment building on the 100 block of Pattison Street Northeast, just north of Martin Way East and near the Intercity Transit headquarters.
First responders transported an unconscious 40-year-old man to Providence St. Peter Hospital where he was placed in an intensive care unit, Police Lt. Paul Lower told The Olympian. Witnesses alleged Telei tried to assault several people on the street, including a 46-year-old woman, Lower said.
An officer reported finding the 40-year-old victim on the ground, bleeding from his mouth. Police found and arrested Telei after searching the area with a Thurston County Sheriff's Office K9 dog, Lower said.
Court records reveal new details about Telei's first day in court as well as the investigation into the alleged assault.
Superior County Judge Allyson Zipp found probable cause for two crimes, first-degree assault and fourth-degree assault, before setting bail at $200,000. In doing so, Zipp determined there existed a substantial danger Telei may commit a violent crime if released without conditions.
Zipp also barred Telei from contacting the man and woman he allegedly assaulted, according to court records.
A pretrial report indicates Telei resides in a neighborhood up the street from the scene of the alleged crimes and he has no known criminal convictions.
Telei is due back in court for his arraignment hearing at 9 a.m. July 23.
The investigation
A probable cause statement describes the investigation into the incident from the perspective of law enforcement.
An officer responded to the apartment building on Pattison Street after receiving reports of a disturbance in the street.
When he got to the scene, several people flagged the officer to tell him someone needed help. The officer found the 40-year-old man lying on his back in the middle of Pattison Street, according to the statement.
The man had a strong pulse but he was unconscious, bleeding from his mouth and breathing irregularly and shallowly. The Olympia Fire Department responded to render medical aid at the officer's request.
A crowd of witnesses told the officer what happened and described the suspect, later identified as Telei, the statement says.
One witness reportedly said he saw Telei walking south on Pattison in the middle of the road. He said Telei was shirtless and "yelling about knocking people out," according to the statement.
The witness alleged Telei tried to assault a man but instead hit his walker. That man got away and Telei returned to the middle of the street where he yelled at passing cars.
The 40-year-old man reportedly approached Telei in an apparent attempt to intervene, the witness told the officer. The witness said that's when Telei punched the man, knocking him to the ground. The witness said Telei then stomped on the man's head before throwing a punch at a woman.
The woman told the officer Telei lunged at her and somehow struck or grabbed her from the back. After assaulting the 40-year-old man, she said Telei tried to lung at her again but she was able to get away. Telei then ran east on Martin Way.
After police detained Telei, the statement indicates the woman identified him as the alleged assailant.
The officer attempted to speak with Telei when he was in custody, but the statement says Telei interrupted the officer several times and appeared "extremely agitated."
The hospitalized 40-year-old man reportedly did not regain consciousness on the ambulance ride nor when he arrived at Providence St. Peter Hospital.
Hospital staff put the man in a medically induced coma and moved him into an intensive care unit, according to the statement. The responding officer reportedly learned the man had an occipital bone fracture and a brain bleed.
The man also had a fractured left first rib, but the statement says he likely suffered this injury when someone gave him CPR prior to when police arrived.
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