Belfair man charged with malicious mischief

Matt Baide | Mar 16, 20230

A Belfair man was arrested and charged with malicious mischief and criminal trespass after an incident at a Kitsap PUD property Feb. 18 near Bremerton.

Gene Ray Brown, 44, has an omnibus hearing scheduled March 21 and a trial scheduled April 17.

According to the incident report, Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office’s Justin Coronado was sent to a possible stolen vehicle on Puget Sound Energy property near Solid Lane in Bremerton. He met the person who called in the vehicle and said he was out at the site repairing fiber optic lines due to an internet outage that took place earlier in the day.

The person showed the cut lines and a pile of garbage about 50 yards away from the power pole, which also had a small burn pile with wire in it.

The officer saw Brown while investigating the stolen vehicle and called him over to talk. Brown said he was trying to get the vehicle unstuck, and said the vehicle belonged to someone else.

When asked what Brown was doing there, he said his friend got the vehicle stuck and he was down there to get it out. He reportedly told Coronado he was out on bail.

The PUD worker said the lines were likely cut by the Sawzall or the loppers in the backseat of the vehicle. Brown was then taken into custody. The PUD worker said this type of thing happens when suspects cut into the line, determine there is no copper in the line and leave it. The cut line knocked out internet to emergency services, multiple cellphone towers and residences of Gorst for six hours. The estimated value of damage was $50,000.