Local News

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Bad boys, bad boys 6/18/08   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 Philandering dirt biker? Probably not, police say By Jackson Holtz Herald Writer STANWOOD -- A Stanwood man was driven to settle a score over a dirt bike, a girl and alleged tire marks across his kitchen floor. Police believe the trouble was all a figment of his drug-fueled imagination. On Monday, police arrested the man, 25, after he allegedly confronted someone he believed rode a dirt bike through the kitchen of his Stanwood home and also was having an affair with his girlfriend. The victim told police he had never met the man before and doesn't know the woman, according to documents filed in Snohomish County Superior Court. Police could find no evidence that a bike was to blame for scuff marks on the suspect's kitchen floor. Instead, detectives believe a refrigerator pulled across the floor most likely made the marks, Stanwood Police Chief Dave Bales said. "People under the influence of alcohol and other drugs occasionally put two and two together and get five," Bales said. "I think that's probably what happened here." Police said the man drove up to a Stanwood home in the 27600 block of 73rd Avenue NW where he apparently believed a philandering dirt bike rider lived. He threatened the startled man who lives there with a baseball bat, saying, "We're going to settle this," the documents said. "The Twilight Zone just parked in (his) driveway," Stanwood police Sgt. Rob Palmer said. "You have a complete stranger show up and accuse him of some bizarre act." Police believe the suspect may have gone to the victim's home because of a white pickup truck parked in the driveway, similar to the truck driven by a man friendly with the suspect's girlfriend, the chief said. "This person looked as good as any … Someone who might be responsible for some of the things that were bothering him," Bales said. After threatening the man, the suspect left and returned a few moments later, this time without the bat. During the second visit, the suspect chased the man into the house. The frightened victim locked the door behind him. The suspect kicked the man's door in, again saying, "We're going to settle this." The suspect later told police someone drove a dirt bike through his living room, scraping doorways and leaving tire marks on the kitchen floor and "burnout marks" on his lawn, the documents said. "There's no evidence that indicated that the suspect's story had any merit at all," Bales said. Police inspected a dirt bike owned by the victim for fresh scrapes and signs of chipped paint, the documents said. Then they went to the suspect's home. Detectives found the aluminum baseball bat used to threaten the victim. The suspect was booked into the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of second-degree assault and second-degree burglary. "This was a real weird one to figure out," Palmer said. "His allegations are fantastic. The reality is that every indication we've got is that he just missed the boat on reality."

1. Snohomish County man dies of swine flu 2. Lynnwood bank reprimanded by government 3. Police ID make of vehicle in fatal hit-and-run 4. Armed man shot by deputies in Arlington 5. IRS joins puppy mill investigation 6. Jetty Island ready for sand castles 7. Boeing's 6-month tally: 1 net order 8. Warriors & Patriots: Many American Indians served before getting full citizenship rights 9. Movin' out 10. Marshals seize swindler's home 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Warriors looking for balance • Three Scots vying for QB slot • Jackson looks for another title • Decorated veteran continues to serve as active volunteer • City Council reviewing sign regulations • Wildcats get a peek at newcomers • Lynnwood still in rebuilding mode • Shoreline feels a kindergarten growth spurt • Leave the patriotic pyrotechnics to professionals, cities urge • Trading dollars for kilowatts New PUD energy conservation programs save ... • By John Wolcott SCBJ Editor • Record crowd at Paine Field’s General Aviation Day as FHC Celebrate ... • Celebration of aviation's history and future presented in multiple venue ... • The time is ripe for small businesses to take no prisoners • EPA proposal to regulate global-warming gases would be costly for small ... • Innovation helps the town of Forks to offset tough economy • Powering the people