A Sequim man captured Thursday night after a two-day manhunt was charged Friday afternoon with assault and motor vehicle theft and is scheduled to be charged on Wednesday, Jan. 3, with arson.
David R. Burgess, 40, was charged Friday with second-degree assault strangulation — domestic violence, second-degree assault with a deadly weapon, harassment (threats to kill) and theft of a motor vehicle.
The assault charges and motor vehicle theft charge are Class B felonies, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine. The harassment charge is a Class C felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.
He will be arraigned on those charges at 9 a.m. Jan. 12 in Clallam County Superior Court. Total bail on those charges was set at $170,000.
Burgess also will appear in court at 1 p.m. Wednesday, when prosecutors plan to charge him with first-degree arson, second-degree arson and second-degree assault.
Bail on those planned charges was set at $250,000.
Photos courtesy of Clallam County Sheriff’s Office / David R. Burgess
Judge Simon Barnhart allowed the separation of charges, saying he found there was probable cause for Burgess’s arrest on those charges and that prosecutors could file them formally later.
“All the activity circles around him being upset with his girlfriend, pursuing her and causing damage as he goes. He is a very, very, high risk to safety,” said Jesse Espinoza, Clallam County deputy prosecuting attorney, told Judge Simon Barnhart in requesting the high bail amounts.
“He has a pretty long history of not showing up to court,” Espinoza said. “The facts of this case are pretty egregious. The threats to kill are alarming.”
Espinoza also said the court should note that Burgess already was subject to conditions of release for two earlier cases, second-degree malicious and fourth degree assault, which occurred Nov. 25. The court ordered Burgess released on Dec. 13 based in part upon his promise to undergo drug and alcohol treatment.
“The state objected to his release for treatment. He cannot be trusted in the community,” Espinoza said.
Public defender Harry Gasnick said the bail amounts were too high for a person found to be indigent. Barnhart agreed to reduce the bail on the pending assault charge and arson charges from $500,000 to $250,000 but left the other amounts alone, reducing the total from $570,000 to $420,000.
The court session was interrupted when Burgess began yelling that he was innocent and his family was being torn apart based upon the word of a couple of drug dealers.
Barnhart paused the session until Burgess could be escorted back to the jail and the session could resume over Zoom.
Burgess also refused to sign his acknowledgment of rights and other routine documents, instead writing “I am innocent” above the signature line. Barnhart said he would enter a signature on Burgess’s behalf.
Earlier story
Clallam County Sheriff’s deputies and State Patrol troopers continued searching Thursday for a man wanted for investigation of first-degree arson, felony harassment, second-degree assault domestic violence and reckless burning after separate reports alleging assault and arson.
David R. Burgess, 40, of Sequim fled from deputies at 6 a.m. Thursday, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release. He was headed southbound on Palo Alto Road in a stolen 2006 maroon Mazda 6 with license plate number CHH4795, deputies said.
At 9 a.m. Thursday, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office posted to its Facebook page that deputies were searching in the area of Old Gardiner Road near the bridge attempting to locate Burgess, who was believed to be on foot.
Residents are asked to call 9-1-1 if they see Burgess or the stolen vehicle or know their whereabouts.
Burgess is described as white, 5-feet-11-inches tall and weighing 200 pounds with hazel eyes and brown hair.
The incident began when deputies were dispatched Saturday to a reported assault in the 800 block of Youngquist Road. The investigation established probable cause to arrest Burgess for second-degree assault/domestic violence and felony harassment (threats to kill).
Burgess fled the scene and deputies were unable to locate him.
Clallam County Sheriff’s Office updated its Facebook page to note that Burgess was discovered riding a bicycle on the 1900 block of Palo Alto Road. Burgess fled into the woods and Deputy Steffen Estep held him at Taser point when he surrendered and was taken into custody and booked into the Clallam County Jail, according to Clallam County Sheriff’s Office officials.
Photo courtesy of Clallam County Sheriff’s Office/ Local law enforcement officials say a man wanted in connection with a suspected arson was driving a 2006 maroon Mazda 6.
On Wednesday at about 4:51 p.m. deputies were dispatched to a reported arson at 916 Hooker Road in Carlsborg. Medic 34, returning from an earlier transport to Olympic Memorial Hospital, was the first unit to arrive and confirm that there was a fully involved structure fire.
According to the sheriff’s press release, witnesses said Burgess set the house on fire while it was occupied along with a vehicle and then fled into the woods. The house’s occupant escaped unharmed.
No one was reported hurt.
Deputies from Clallam and Jefferson counties used a drone with heat-sensing technology but were unable to locate Burgess.
The remote location and muddy driveway delayed additional units from making access to the building. To contain the blaze, firefighters with Clallam County Fire District 3 used a 300-foot hose lay from Engine 34 to supply an additional two 150-foot working lines, the department said.
Firefighters coordinated their efforts and established a water supply via a tender shuttle operation, utilizing all three of the fire district tenders.
Photo courtesy of Clallam County Fire District 3 / Sequim firefighters respond to a structure fire on the 900 block of Hooker Road on Dec. 27.
Mutual aid was requested from Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue to provide additional support for two aid related calls within District 3.
The structure suffered significant fire damage to both the main floor and full basement. Overall, two fire engines, three 3 water tenders, one rescue vehicle, one command vehicle and an aid car responded. Crews were assisted by three units from the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by Clallam County Fire District 3 investigators and the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the PenComm dispatch center at 9-1-1.
