A person accused of violating a home violence no-contact order was driving a unicycle as legislation enforcement responded to his Camas home for reviews of gunfire Wednesday night time. He then pointed a gun at officers earlier than he was shot by a Clark County sheriff’s deputy, court docket information state.
Patrick Wetzel, 41, appeared Friday in Clark County Superior Court docket on suspicion of first-degree housebreaking, second-degree illegal possession of a firearm, reckless endangerment, aiming/discharging a firearm and safety order violation.
Choose Christine Hayes set his bail at $500,000, and he’s scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 27. If he posts bail, the decide ordered he be fitted with a GPS monitor and be required to point out proof he surrendered all of his firearms.
Protection lawyer Renee Alsept mentioned she has considerations about Wetzel’s psychological well being. She mentioned she could later ask the court docket to have his psychological well being evaluated.
Court docket information state Wetzel’s estranged spouse obtained a civil safety order towards him final week, which prohibited him from coming inside 1,000 ft of her home within the 2300 block of Northeast Everett Road or from possessing firearms.
Investigators say Wetzel’s habits over the previous few weeks has been erratic, together with staging weapons at entry factors to the home and breaking into his personal gun secure. Camas police mentioned Wetzel was texting his spouse issues like “next step corner and kill” and an image of a gun saying it was “talking to him.” She mentioned he additionally despatched her messages threatening to die by police, in response to a possible trigger affidavit.
Camas law enforcement officials had pushed previous the home a number of occasions prior to now week and noticed Wetzel or his car there. Every time officers approached, they have been unable to take Wetzel into custody, court docket information state.
Camas police responded about 8 p.m. Wednesday to a report of photographs heard close to the home. A 911 caller reported listening to a single rifle shot within the space. A responding officer couldn’t discover the supply of the gunshot. However whereas the officer was within the space, he noticed Wetzel drive by, in response to the affidavit.
About two hours later, officers have been once more dispatched to the home for reviews of photographs heard. This time, three completely different neighbors reported listening to gunshots coming from behind the home, the affidavit states.
Camas police responded close by and waited for extra sources from space businesses, reminiscent of a drone, an armored car and a police Ok-9. Whereas officers have been ready, they mentioned they heard intermittent gunshots, court docket information state.
When extra legislation enforcement officers arrived, they used a drone to see a person, later recognized as Wetzel, on a unicycle leaving the property and heading towards a market down the road. Wetzel returned to the home on the unicycle a couple of minutes later, in response to the affidavit.
Wetzel started yelling at officers to get off his property, and he allegedly pointed a gun at officers inside an armored SWAT car, the affidavit states.
Sooner or later, Wetzel obtained inside his automotive in the home’s driveway, and a deputy subsequently shot him, court docket information state. The affidavit doesn’t element the moments main as much as the capturing. Nobody else, together with legislation enforcement officers, was injured in the course of the incident.
Wetzel was taken to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Middle in Vancouver for remedy, the affidavit states. He was launched and booked into the Clark County Jail on Thursday.
Investigators with the Washington State Patrol searched Wetzel’s automotive and the home Thursday. They mentioned they discovered a pistol in his automotive and 5 shell casings within the yard of the home. A tree within the yard appeared to have been struck by gunfire, together with a fence and two automobiles parked behind the home, in response to court docket information.
Inside the home, investigators mentioned they discovered a loaded journal that might’ve been suitable with the pistol present in Wetzel’s automotive. Lights in the home have been on, together with the fireside, and investigators mentioned they discovered mail with Wetzel’s title on it upstairs. In addition they discovered a shell casing on an evening stand, the affidavit states.