On Aug. 23, a Walmart security employee in Chehalis told a loitering man in a white Jeep Cherokee that he needed to leave the parking lot within 10 minutes.
Ten minutes passed. The man didn’t leave. So the employee walked back to the Jeep.
According to court documents from the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office, the man responded by threatening to hit and kill the employee with his vehicle.
He then accelerated toward her as she walked away, causing her to “jump into a nearby bush to avoid being struck,” according to court documents.
That man, James E. Legge, 42, of Lacey, faces three total felony counts of vehicular assault, second-degree assault and felony harassment.
Legge made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday.
Both the vehicular assault and the second-degree assault charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and $20,000 in fines. Second-degree assault is considered a strike offense.
According to court documents, Legge remained in the parking lot after the alleged incident. Officers arrived and determined Legge had an expired driver’s license. He was detained.
Legge reportedly admitted only to flipping off store employees.
Officers, however, obtained video of the incident, which allegedly confirmed the accuser’s version of events, according to court documents.
During his preliminary hearing, Legge said, “I never threatened anybody.”
Judge Joely Yeager agreed with the state’s request of $100,000 cash or bond, despite acknowledging Legge’s relative lack of criminal history, which includes a 2015 conviction for possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, according to court records.
Yeager noted that the allegations regarding the current case were apparently on video, and cited a concern for community safety. The judge also prohibited Legge from contacting the alleged victim or the Chehalis Walmart.
An arraignment is set for Sept. 4. Albert Didcock has been assigned to represent Legge.
