Man Charged for Allegedly Strangling Man, Nearly Crashing Truck Before Threatening Law Enforcement in Lewis County - Centralia Chronicle
An Olympia man is facing felony charges in Lewis County for allegedly choking a person, nearly crashing a flatbed truck on northbound Interstate 5 between Centralia and Rochester and threatening to kill arresting police officers and hospital staff on Thursday.
The defendant, Ezra Beedle, 39, was reportedly intoxicated and acting “belligerent” toward fellow passengers in an International flatbed truck driving northbound on I-5 when the Washington State Patrol (WSP) was dispatched, according to court documents.
Beedle, who was in the backseat, had allegedly unbuckled his seat belt and began to strangle the front passenger before grabbing the steering wheel.
He allegedly “rapidly turned the wheel to the right, which nearly caused the vehicle to crash” near milepost 85. Officers later observed tire friction marks from both the truck and another vehicle that had to brake to avoid a collision, according to court documents.
The driver of the flatbed truck was able to come to a stop on the right shoulder of I-5, where the driver and passenger “extracted Beedle from the vehicle and pinned him down until (a) law enforcement officer arrived,” according to court documents.
Beedle reportedly “continued to be belligerent” with the responding WSP trooper and aid personnel, allegedly threatening to kill the trooper and the trooper’s family, according to court documents. He also allegedly threatened to kill hospital staff who medically cleared him to be booked into the Lewis County Jail.
He was booked into the jail just after 10:55 p.m. on March 17 and has been charged with one count of second-degree assault, one count of harassment, threat to kill and two counts of reckless endangerment.
Members of Beedle’s family gathered in Lewis County Superior Court during Beedle’s preliminary appearance to show their support for Beedle.
Beedle had no criminal history prior to his Thursday arrest, according to Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead, “but given the facts of this case and what could have happened here,” Halstead said Friday the state had concerns about community safety should Beedle be released on from jail and recommended that bail be set at $50,000.
Defense Attorney Rachael Tiller asked Judge James Lawler to reduce the bail amount to no more than $20,000, citing Beedle’s lack of criminal history and his willingness to abide by the court’s standard conditions of release, which include no access to alcohol.
“I believe the crux of this case is alcohol,” she said.
Lawler opted to set Beedle’s bail at $25,000.
“The fact of the matter is no criminal history is certainly a point in Mr. Beedle’s favor, but the threats made here are serious and the conduct alleged here is serious,” Lawler said Friday.
Lawler also granted Tiller’s request to amend Beedle’s conditions of release so he could have contact with his son, who witnessed Thursday’s incident, so long as they don’t discuss the details of the case.
Beedle’s next court appearance is an arraignment hearing scheduled for Thursday, March 24.
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source: https://www.chronline.com/stories/man-charged-for-allegedly-strangling-man-nearly-crashing-truck-before-threatening-law-enforcement,286329
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