On Tuesday, May 2, an officer responded to a reported assault that occurred in the area of R Avenue and 28th Street. The reporting party, an Anacortes man, said another man assaulted him about three to four weeks prior but did not recall the date. He said he owed the other man about $900 and that he had been punched in the left side of the face near the ear with a closed fist in an altercation related to the debt. He said he had fallen ill and been diagnosed with a brain bleed, eventually ending up at Harborview in Seattle. The responding officer contacted the man who had allegedly done the punching, who said the other man had charged at him aggressively. He said he involuntarily responded to the threat with a strike to the man’s head, but he said he was holding donuts at the time, which he believed softened the blow. He said he had not intended to harm the other man, just to remove him from his personal space. A witness indicated that the punched man had walked aggressively toward the other man. Another witness said the punched man had taken a step toward the other man, but she said she had not perceived it as aggressive. The investigation continues.
Here are some other incidents that Anacortes Police investigated this week.
Friday, April 28, 2023
An Anacortes woman reported a vehicle prowl in the 900 block of Fourth Street. An officer contacted her, and she said she discovered that morning that someone had entered her vehicle sometime since 1 a.m. Someone had rifled through the car, and she discovered a card missing. She also found that someone had siphoned six gallons of gas from her vehicle’s gas tank. She also found a screwdriver and jack left under the vehicle, which the reporting party determined had been removed from inside the vehicle. The officer asked the reporting party to call if she discovers anything else missing.
Dispatch advised of a report of a suspicious vehicle slowly driving in the area of Kingsway and Heather Drive. The driver reportedly stopped at one point, got out and put some pants on. The responding officer located the vehicle and confirmed that it was associated with construction in the area. The officer asked the man about the pants, and he said he put on work pants and boots upon arriving at the job site.
A member of a local club requested a call regarding “members” sending emails. She told the responding officer that her quilting group had been in an ongoing dispute with two members who are threatening legal action regarding moving group property. No involved party made any threats of physical harm. The officer answered questions about trespass notices and obtaining no-contact orders.
Saturday, April 29, 2023
An officer responded to a suspicious complaint in the 8600 block of South March’s Point Road. The reporting party stated that she was observing via security cameras someone attempting to climb the fence. An officer responded and checked the business at the address for signs of entry and couldn’t find any. The reporting party said she recognized the man as a 75-year-old Anacortes man. She requested trespass, and the officer advised that because the man had a storage unit at the facility, she would need to allow him access to it in some capacity if he contacted her first. The reporting party called back a few days later and reported that the man was in front of the office at the original call address. An officer provided the man with a copy of his trespass notice.
Sunday, April 30, 2023
An officer responded to a theft complaint in the 900 block of 11th Street. The reporting party advised that she observed a man taking groceries and leaving in an SUV without paying. An officer responded and collected surveillance footage and a voided itemized list totaling $6.70. She stated that additional items were stolen, but they were unable to determine the items on the security footage. The responding officer reviewed the footage and obtained a clear view of the suspect. The officer contacted the registered owner of the suspect’s vehicle, and she advised that she owns the vehicle and that it was parked at her mother’s home in Concrete for more than a month. She said she planned to go to the property later in the week, as her mother was out of town. Later, an APD officer advised that the registered owner’s brother is a possible suspect, and the responding officer noted that the surveillance photo and the man’s driver’s-license photo were an obvious match. The officer later completed a citation for third-degree theft.
Monday, May 1, 2023
Officers responded to a reported motor vehicle crash occurring in the 1000 block of Eighth Street. Staff at a business advised that a car had struck a parked vehicle after another car hit it. Both drivers were determined to be driving with a suspended license, with the driver of the at-fault vehicle driving with an interlock requirement but no interlock device. The responding officer determined that the driver with the interlock requirement had failed to yield, which resulted in a collision. Her vehicle then struck a parked pickup truck. This secondary collision resulted in the pickup truck being pushed into another parked car. The responding officer conducted an exchange of information and explained to the at-fault driver that she would be receiving several citations and an infraction in the mail. The officer also informed the man with the suspended license that he would be receiving a citation and an infraction in the mail.
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
There was a fire alarm at Anacortes Middle School. It was determined to have originated from burning cookies.
An officer responded to a reported domestic assault in the 3000 block of Commercial Avenue. The reporting party advised that her ex-girlfriend had punched her in the mouth. She said she was in a rideshare on her way to the 12500 block of Christiansen Road. An officer contacted the woman, who said she forgot her wallet in her ex-girlfriend’s room and that she took a rideshare back to the room to retrieve it. While outside, she talked to her ex-girlfriend, who ignored her until she got back into the car. The ex-girlfriend then said she had her wallet. The reporting party then stepped out of the vehicle, and the ex-girlfriend then allegedly punched her in the mouth after asking what she was doing there. She said she hit the woman back and said she wanted her wallet. The ex-girlfriend then gave her wallet back. The officer documented the injury with digital photographs and collected a written statement. The officer cited the ex-girlfriend for fourth-degree assault via summons.
Thursday, May 4, 2023
An officer responded to a theft of a wagon from his store. He said he was reporting the theft just in case the wagon is found abandoned somewhere.