THURSTON COUNTY, Wash. — A man accused of threatening an attorney, then assaulting the investigating Thurston County deputies, is being held in jail on a $50,000 bond.
Sheriff Derek Sanders told KOMO News his deputies were investigating a harassment case when they were attacked Tuesday evening off Johnson Point Road near 65th Avenue.
Sanders visited the deputies in the hospital and explained they are in good spirits and at home recovering from being punched, plus injuries to their eyes and an ear.
“Two of them got assaulted pretty good. One of them was punched in the ear,” Sheriff Derek Sanders told KOMO News.
RELATED: Thurston County deputies injured during violent arrest in felony harassment investigation
Online court records state it all started when deputies went to a home to investigate claims that Garett Merlino was making death threats toward an attorney.
“From my understanding, they tried to talk to him for five to ten minutes, tried to reason with him, then at some point in time the fight was on,” Sanders added.
Deputies called for backup, then apprehended and restrained Merlino as they say he continued to fight.
At Merlino’s first court appearance on Wednesday, the woman who claims she was initially threatened over text by Merlino told the judge she worries for her own safety, and for Merlino. In court documents, she told detectives she represented the victim up until last year, and had no contact with him until earlier this year when he asked her about getting his gun rights restored. Weeks after that, the documents state he kept texting the attorney about various topics, and at one point threatened to kill a cop, and her.
In court on Wednesday, Prosecuting Attorney Leanne Stogsdill urged Merlino stay behind bars as he could be a threat to the public.
“He sent her numerous threatening text messages,” Stogsdill said.
Judge Jennifer Forbes, a visiting judge from Skagit County, agreed on the high bail and found probable cause to charge Merlino with felony harassment, four counts of felony assault and resisting arrest. She dropped a stalking charge, saying there was not enough information.
The victim also spoke in court on Wednesday. She urged the judge to impose conditions ensuring Merlino takes his medication to help keep him from potentially harming his lawyers, law enforcement or anyone else. In response, Judge Forbes said the conditions of release could change later if the defense provides information about what mental health services could be provided upon Merlino’s release.
He is set to be arraigned on May 22 at 11 a.m.
