A 39-year-old Winlock resident convicted earlier this year for cutting a man with a steak knife was arrested Monday evening for allegedly throwing knives toward at least one person.
The defendant — whose legal name is Kirk E. Kaija but who goes by Katie — is accused of taking “a large portion” of the kitchen knives inside a residential trailer in the 250 block of Limmer Road in Winlock and “throwing them at everyone” during what the reporting party described as “some kind of mental health breakdown,” according to court documents.
Kaija reportedly became agitated after one of the trailer’s occupants refused a request to buy Kaija alcohol.
A woman later told law enforcement she was sitting in a chair outside her trailer nearby “when she heard something smack against her door” and “subsequently realized the item was a butcher knife,” according to court documents. Kaija then allegedly threw a knife toward the woman as she began to run away.
The woman reported the knife landed “approximately one foot from her” and a witness described the throw as “an overhand throw with a lot of force,” according to court documents.
A deputy with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office contacted Kaija and Kaija allegedly admitted to “throwing some knives, but denied intentionally throwing them at anybody,” according to court documents.
Kaija was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 3. Kaija has since been charged with one count of second-degree assault, domestic violence.
At the time of Monday’s incident, Kaija was out of custody on probation for a second-degree assault, domestic violence conviction stemming from an unrelated incident in May.
That incident occurred on May 9 and involved Kaija picking up a 6- to 7-inch knife and swinging it at the victim when the victim blocked the door to a second-story bedroom balcony out of concern Kaija was going to jump off, according to court documents.
Given that Kaija was convicted for an assault with similar circumstances earlier this year, Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead requested $50,000 bail and a no-contact order protecting the alleged victims during Kaija’s preliminary appearance hearing in Lewis County Superior Court on Tuesday.
While defense attorney Rachael Tiller asked for reduced bail given Kaija’s financial situation, Judge James Lawler said he agreed with Halstead’s concerns and granted his request.
“Given the repeated nature here, I have some of the same concerns as the state,” he said Tuesday.
Kaija’s next court appearance is an arraignment hearing scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 6.
