A Port Angeles resident, 31, has been booked into custody in Pierce County following a physical confrontation with deputies who responded to complaints about suspicious activity at a residential property on Sunday, June 7.
Pierce County prosecutors have filed charges against the man for obstructing a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest. The incident began at approximately 6:30 p.m. when officers were sent to an apartment complex in the 14100 block of Meridian East in South Hill.
The dispatch was triggered by several reports from residents who described a shirtless individual lingering in the area. Witnesses stated the man was speaking with children in the complex and trying to engage them in play.
Upon arriving at the scene, deputies located the man and attempted to communicate with him. According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect initially ignored commands to remain still. Officers then instructed him to sit on the ground to facilitate a safe detention while they continued their inquiry into the neighbors' concerns.
Footage from body-worn cameras, subsequently released by the sheriff’s office, depicts the man seated in the parking lot, vigorously denying the claims made by the residents. During the interaction, a deputy directly asked the suspect about his criminal history. The man acknowledged his status as a convicted sex offender but maintained that his actions were appropriate.
He further argued that his specific registry conditions did not prohibit his presence near parks or schools. The situation intensified when officers informed him he was being detained and directed him to enter a patrol vehicle.
The sheriff’s office noted that the man declined to get into the car. After multiple verbal attempts to secure his cooperation, video evidence shows an extended physical struggle on the pavement as the suspect actively fought against being placed in the vehicle.
Officers eventually restrained the man, secured him in the back of the patrol car, and transported him to the Pierce County Jail.
Beyond the initial charges of obstruction and resisting arrest, the sheriff’s office indicated that probable cause existed for two additional offenses: interfering with an investigation and a violation of sex offender registration terms.