PORT ANGELES — A Sequim man has been sentenced to nearly 13 months in prison for third-degree assault in an unprovoked attack on the Olympic Discovery Trail.
Alexander K. Bees, 44, hit a man who was walking on the trail near the intersection of U.S. Highway 101 and West Sequim Bay Road with a metal pole on May 21.
Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden sentenced Bees on Sept. 9 to 12.75 months in prison followed by 12.75 months of community supervision, which will be overseen by the state Department of Corrections.
The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office announced the sentencing on Tuesday.
A 43-year-old man called 911 after he was struck by the pole, the Sheriff’s Office said. After searching the area, deputies located an abandoned vehicle registered to Bees about a mile away from the site of the attack.
The man who was struck was transported to Olympic Medical Center, where he was diagnosed with bone and soft tissue bruises.
The man identified Bees in a photographic lineup, and deputies arrested Bees and booked him into the Clallam County Jail on June 2 with the assistance from the Sequim Police Department.
Bees has an extensive criminal history, the Sheriff’s Office said, including six felony convictions for theft, assault, witness tampering and attempting to elude law enforcement, 16 gross misdemeanor convictions and four misdemeanor convictions.
“Incidents of this nature are extremely rate on the Olympic Discovery Trail,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
Around 2022, deputies with the Olympic Discovery Trail Bike Patrol began regularly monitoring the trail and acting as a deterrent to criminal activity.
The Sheriff’s Office encourages trail users to travel with a companion whenever possible, keep a charged cell phone on hand, be aware of surroundings and report any suspicious activity.
