Crime & Courts

Police: Drunken driver rips up Shorecrest farmers’ hayfield

James and Nancy Hancharik, who raise cattle in the Shorecrest area of Shelton, called police after seeing a pickup truck drive into their pasture, “ripping it up” and “doing donuts,” on Feb. 9, according to a Mason County Sheriff’s probable cause document.

Deputies found John Gardenhire, 33, standing beside a Chevrolet pickup truck stuck in a muddy pasture waving his cellphone, the document says.

“Initially I bypassed the truck and went straight to the residence where I was able to contact Nancy briefly while Deputy Freese maintained visual contact on the Chevrolet pickup. When I pulled into the residence’s driveway, I spoke with Nancy, who appeared to be frustrated. Nancy advised she didn’t know who it was in her field. I asked Nancy what she would like done, and she said she wanted them to leave, and their names so they would be held accountable for the damage they caused to her property. Nancy at that time advised she grows hay in her field which is used to feed her livestock,” Officer Ryan Carney wrote.

The officers walked back to the stuck truck, where the driver appeared to be in a “panic,” shouting at the officers to help him free his truck, according to the probable cause document.

Gardenhire identified himself and officers observed a child in the passenger seat, who said he was Gardenhire’s 13-year-old son.

The teenager said they were driving home from the Agate Store.

The son “told me his dad had been drinking at home prior to them ever getting into the truck so he wanted to go with his dad to the store to ‘supervise’ him,” Carney wrote.

The son said Gardenhire was drinking and driving, throwing beer cans out the window as he drove, and entered the field to do donuts when the truck got stuck, the document states.

Gardenhire was arrested and fell twice walking to the police car, according to the document.

“While escorting John to my patrol vehicle, I smelled the odor of intoxicants on his breath, and noted he was swaying and stumbling as we walked through the pasture to my patrol vehicle,” Carney wrote.

Gardenhire’s wife, April, showed up while he was in the back of the patrol car.

“April appeared to be frustrated by the entire situation,” the document states. April Gardenhire told officers her husband phoned, asking her to bring a tow rope.

“I then explained to April that John was drunk. April responded saying, ‘Yea,’ ” Carney wrote.

Deputies documented damage to the field, finding grass and topsoil ripped “all across the landscape,” with ruts up to 1½ feet, a broken draining tube and damaged drainage rock, the probable cause document states.

The Hanchariks told deputies they use the 13-acre pasture where the damage occurred to grow hay for their cattle and they would now have to buy hay.

“However, Nancy and James both agreed they were relieved that John’s child was not hurt as a result of his negligent/reckless driving and made a comment that they would much rather have their land destroyed, than have his son die as a result of his father’s decision to drive impaired. I agreed,” Carney wrote.

Judge Daniel Goodell released Gardenhire on his own recognizance, with conditions that he does not visit the Hancharik’s property and not drink or possess alcohol or go to establishments where alcohol is the chief item for sale.

Gardenhire’s initial arraignment is Feb. 26 before Goodell in Mason County Superior Court.

Arson suspect allegedly threatens own attorney

Jacob Rivera, 44, in custody on charges of first-degree arson in connection with an explosion and house fire in Hoodsport on Dec. 13 and attempting to elude police Dec. 11, is now accused of threatening his court-appointed attorney Scott Etherton.

The Mason County Sheriff’s Office recommended Rivera be charged with intimidating a public servant and forwarded the case Feb. 2 to Prosecuting Attorney Michael Dorcy, who has not made a charging decision.

Officers at the Mason County Jail alerted the sheriff’s office about Rivera after he “threatened his attorney numerous times,” according to the probable cause document.

The jail provided officers with five logs about the threats from Jan. 1 - Feb. 2. In one incident, Rivera asked a corrections officer “what would happen if he assaulted his attorney, specifically in jail,” and on another day “requested his attorney to be present for the sole purpose of assaulting his attorney,” Officer M. Limper wrote in the probable cause document.

A jail mental health counselor also reported Rivera was threatening his attorney, and Rivera told a mental health counselor at Western State Hospital that he “wanted to murder his attorney (Mr. Etherton),” the document states.

The jail provided officers with an inmate request from Rivera saying, “This message is for Mr. Etherton.

You are a shitty attorney in my book. I really feel bad if I am able to get close to you. You have disrespected me and I will not let that go.”

Etherton told deputies he was not sure if he wanted to pursue charges, but Chief Public Defender Peter Jones said he wanted to pursue charges as a victim, according to the probable cause document.

Jones said, “Management of public defenders is my primary official function as a public servant. Mr. Rivera attempted to, by use of a threat against a third party, influence my decision as to the management of public defenders. In fact, he did influence my decision, as I can’t leave Scott on a case if he is endangered,” according to the document.

Etherton was removed as Rivera’s attorney Feb. 13 and Ruth Rivas was appointed as his new defender.