A man accused of threatening “numerous victims” with a knife throughout Centralia was arrested early Tuesday morning following a police pursuit that ended with officers using a precision immobilization technique (PIT) to disable the suspect’s vehicle.
Reid J. Schinski, 40, of Kuna, Idaho, was booked into the Lewis County Jail at about 3:21 a.m. Feb. 3, according to jail records. He made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court that afternoon to face a total of 11 charges, including three counts of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon and one count each of felony harassment and attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle.
Schinski is also charged with three gross misdemeanors and three misdemeanors related to driving under the influence and not using an ignition interlock device, among other alleged offenses.
Of the 11 counts, Schinski faces the greatest potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison for each of the assault charges.
During his initial court hearing, Judge Joely Yeager set bail at $500,000 cash or bond, in agreement with the state’s request. The judge entered an order for Schinski to surrender any weapons, as well as three no-contact orders protecting the alleged victims.
Yeager said the allegations presented a significant risk to community safety.
Minutes before, Senior Deputy Prosecutor Paul Masiello alluded to the seemingly random nature of the alleged crimes when he noted there were no known associations between the defendant and the alleged victims he threatened.
In its daily press log, the Centralia Police Department wrote that Schinski “contacted numerous victims throughout several areas within the city limits of Centralia, (threatening) each while brandishing a knife.”
The probable cause affidavit filed by the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office further describes the allegations from the perspective of law enforcement.
On Monday, police received a report of a man walking toward people in the parking lot of Providence Centralia Hospital while holding a knife behind his back.
Another report came in soon after describing a man “threatening two people and chasing one of them with a knife” near The Quesadilla Factory, according to the affidavit.
Yet another call followed, this time from a resident on K Street describing a man with a knife standing outside their home.
According to the affidavit, a Centralia police officer was on his way to the residence when he saw a silver SUV with Idaho license plates that matched the description given by the reporting parties. The officer turned on his overhead lights and attempted to pull the suspect over, but the vehicle allegedly ran a red light.
The officer tried his siren next. But the suspect still didn’t stop; instead, the vehicle allegedly continued at speeds of roughly 15 to 20 mph over the speed limit, before stopping at the intersection of Marion Street and Gold Street.
When the pursuing officers exited their vehicles, however, the suspect allegedly drove away.
After the suspect continued to run stop signs — and even drove in the wrong direction, according to the affidavit — police received authorization to execute a PIT maneuver.
The maneuver succeeded.
According to the affidavit, officers saw Schinski cut his wrist with a knife inside the vehicle. He then had to be subdued by a 40-mm bean bag when he allegedly refused to drop the knife and tried to exit the SUV through the driver’s side window.
On the way to the hospital, Schinski — who had been handcuffed to the ambulance’s gurney — allegedly threatened to kill the sheriff’s deputy who rode along with him.
A blood alcohol content test taken at the hospital reportedly showed a reading of 0.25 percent.
Police circled back with the alleged victims. One woman reportedly said Schinski had approached her while she and her daughter were in her car outside their home.
When she called her boyfriend to come outside, Schinski turned around — revealing the knife in his hands.
The woman said she rolled her window down and told her boyfriend the man had a knife, at which point Schinski approached him until he could re-enter the home and lock the doors.
Another victim reportedly said he had been tailgated by a silver SUV. Thinking something had fallen out of his truck, the man pulled over at The Quesadilla Factory and stepped out of his vehicle. The man then saw Schinski exit the SUV and rush toward him, shouting and “making slashing motions as he approached.”
A woman inside the truck exited and was able to distract Schinski until both victims could get back inside their vehicle and lock the doors.
“They both indicated that Schinski stood in front of the truck with his hands behind his back holding the knife,” the affidavit states.
Schinski is scheduled to appear for an arraignment on Feb. 5. Chris Baum has been appointed as his public defender.
