A Winlock man has been accused of threatening to kill the person who hired him to complete work on a residential property. Prosecutors said the suspect was living on the property.
Justin L. Fletcher, 47, faces one count each of felony harassment and fourth-degree assault. Police booked him into the Lewis County Jail at about 3:30 a.m. Oct. 3.
Fletcher made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday. A judge set bail at $250,000 cash or bond, in agreement with the state’s request. The judge also granted requests for an anti-harassment order on behalf of the victim and an order for Fletcher to surrender any weapons within his possession.
According to court documents, Fletcher has prior convictions for second-degree unlawful firearm possession, first-degree assault and obstructing law enforcement, among other offenses. Seventeen warrants have reportedly been issued for his arrest in past cases.
Winlock police responded to the incident on Oct. 2 after a man reported that Fletcher had assaulted him after the man arrived at his mother’s home, which was going through the probate process.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the man told police he’d hired Fletcher, an acquaintance of his, to complete work on the property before its sale. The man said he lived in the Battle Ground area and hadn’t visited the property in weeks.
The man said Fletcher appeared to be living at the home. When the man arrived, Fletcher allegedly exited the home, yelled at him and punched him. Police reportedly saw a “red, swollen area” where the victim said he’d been punched.
“He said Fletcher pulled a gun out at one point,” prosecutors wrote in the affidavit. “He described it as a brown, semi-automatic pistol that was a .40 or .45 caliber handgun.”
After Fletcher allegedly threatened to kill him, the man left and called 911.
Police arrived at the home and used a PA to call Fletcher out. Fletcher exited and allegedly denied assaulting anyone, according to the affidavit. He reportedly said the alleged victim had agreed to let him live at the property and denied possessing any firearms in the home.
Police executed search warrants on the home and Fletcher’s vehicles. They reportedly found a flare gun that had been painted black, but no firearms. They did, however, find a rifle magazine and an unfired bullet, according to the affidavit.
Fletcher is scheduled for an arraignment on Thursday.
