CARLSBORG — A Port Angeles man was stabbed in an apparent carjacking, and his vehicle was stolen with seven children onboard, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office said.
The children, who range in age from 6 months old to 9 years old, were recovered and are in Child Protective Services in Kitsap County, Clallam County Undersheriff Lorraine Shore said Monday.
Nicolas Well, 30, and Rosario Lopez-Castro, 27, the children’s parents, were arrested in Kitsap County early Monday morning.
Well remained in custody Monday and is being investigated for possession of a stolen vehicle and seven counts of reckless endangerment — domestic violence. Lopez-Castro was released and is being investigated for possession of a stolen vehicle and reckless endangerment — domestic violence.
Shore said charges will be brought in Clallam County as well.
The wounded man, Melvin Swagerty, 60, was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he underwent surgery for his injuries, Shore said.
Shore said investigators are working with the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to build a case.
Swagerty was found on the 260 block of Carlsborg Road on Sunday night.
“We initially were called to a report of an injured male in Carlsborg,” Shore said. “What occurred is that we had witnesses that saw a male — we don’t know if he was pushed out or how he came out of the vehicle, (but) he came out from the vehicle on the ground, right in front of them.”
After Swagerty fell on the ground, the person who took over control of the blue Lexus RX300 fled the scene.
The witnesses contacted Swagerty, who was bleeding from stab wounds in the neck, Shore said. They contacted medics and police at 8:10 p.m., she added.
It was initially difficult to piece together what occurred, said Shore, who added that Swagerty’s car was registered as stolen.
“We eventually determined that this gentleman was a DoorDash driver and he was driving down the 101 when he saw this family walking down the street, seven children (who) looked to be in need of help,” Shore said.
Swagerty picked the family up near Deer Park, Shore said. With cold temperatures and nighttime conditions, Swagerty acted as a good Samaritan and picked them up, she said.
After driving east on U.S. Highway 101 and continuing on Carlsborg Road, some kind of altercation occurred in the vehicle, according to witnesses, Shore said.
“As our deputies were putting everything together, we realized we had contacted this family previously in the day,” Shore said.
Law enforcement officers had engaged the couple for a disturbance in Sequim and for doing donuts with their children in their red Dodge Durango in the Safeway parking lot in Port Angeles, 2709 E. Highway 101.
Well was arrested and later released at the time, Shore said. Well’s initial arrest includes investigation of reckless driving and unlawful possession of a dangerous weapon.
Shore said law enforcement officers confiscated a knife from Well.
A CCSO press release also noted a welfare check on the family at 7:34 p.m., when a caller reported them stranded near Highway 101 in the red Dodge Durango. The Durango was abandoned near Deer Park, Shore said.
Kitsap County Sheriff’s deputies located the Lexus in Kitsap County at 4:57 a.m. Monday, parked in the middle of the road. Well was in the driver’s seat with a bloody knife in his pocket, and Lopez-Castro was in the passenger seat, according to the CCSO press release. A significant amount of blood was found in the driver’s seat area, according to the press release.
Shore said CCSO considered Washington State Patrol’s requirements for putting out an amber alert and determined that the case did not qualify as the children were with their parents.
The office did put out an alert to law enforcement agencies across western Washington, she said.
“Our main focus was the safety of these children,” Shore said. “Myself and our deputies drove around all night and all morning, till early hours of the morning, looking for the vehicle to try to ensure the children were safe. We went everywhere, and it was very stressful for us, worrying about the children and what their status was. So we were very thankful and very relieved to find out that they were safe.”
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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@peninsuladailynews.com.
