PORT TOWNSEND — A Port Hadlock man has pleaded not guilty to first-degree burglary charges after he allegedly assaulted another man at the Port Townsend winter shelter.
Devlin Andrew Dudley, 32, also pleaded not guilty Friday in Jefferson County Superior Court to fourth-degree assault and disorderly conduct.
He had been released on personal recognizance following his initial court appearance Jan. 3.
First-degree burglary is a Class A felony punishable by a maximum of life in prison and/or a $50,000 fine. Fourth-degree assault is a gross misdemeanor and disorderly conduct is a misdemeanor.
A second man in the incident was charged this week with second-degree assault with reckless infliction of substantial bodily harm.
Russell Owen Harding III, 34, was charged and a summons to appear on court was filed Wednesday for his alleged role in the incident, which occurred about 2:16 a.m. Dec. 30, according to court documents.
Second-degree assault is a Class B felony punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine.
Charging documents allege Dudley and Harding were involved in an altercation outside of the American Legion Hall in the 200 block of Monroe Street, which houses the winter shelter in the basement.
Port Townsend Police Officer Trevor Hansen wrote in his report that Dudley, who allegedly later admitted he was drunk, entered the shelter and complained to an employee about a dog in distress in a truck on the street.
Both the truck and the dog belonged to Harding, according to the police report.
Dudley reportedly became aggressive toward Harding, and a shelter employee told Dudley he was no longer welcome, according to the report.
Then Dudley allegedly opened the door to the truck, and Harding’s dog escaped, the report said.
Court documents say Dudley pushed or shoved Harding, and the two engaged in a fight.
Video surveillance outside the shelter showed a brief struggle on the ground before Harding stood over Dudley and possibly kicked him in the head, according to the police report.
The footage showed Harding and the shelter employee walk away, and Dudley allegedly chased after them.
Dudley reportedly attacked the shelter employee, who responded by punching Dudley in the head multiple times as he attempted to defend himself, court documents said.
As other shelter guests tried to protect the employee, Harding returned and allegedly kicked Dudley in the head multiple times, according to the police report.
The documents also stated Dudley ran through the shelter and screamed as he jumped over beds and a low wall.
A separate shelter volunteer chased Dudley with a baseball bat to get him to leave, according to court documents.
The police report said Harding might have been justified in the use of some force to try to prevent the intrusion into his vehicle or the theft of his dog, but there was not a continued threat to justify repeated kicks to Dudley’s head.
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Jefferson County Managing Editor Brian McLean can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 6, or at bmclean@peninsuladailynews.com.
