![Unidentified male arrested after causing havoc at Hazel Dell Starbucks and Great Clips, climbing through ceilings, damaging property, and resisting arrest, resulting in closure of both businesses.](https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Large_Clark-County-Today-Malicious-Mischief-incident-at-Starbucks-location-leads-to-felony-arrest.jpg)
Unidentified male refused to come out of bathroom and later climbed into the ceiling, eventually causing damage to a pair of businesses
An unidentified male was arrested after an incident Wednesday morning in Hazel Dell.
On Wednesday (Dec. 6) at about 9:42 a.m., Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) deputies received a call for service at the Starbucks, located at 7720 NE Highway 99 in Hazel Dell, for an unwanted male that had been in the bathroom for approximately 40 minutes.
Starbucks employees were requesting that the male be contacted and trespassed from the business. Deputies responded to the business and attempted to make contact with the individual. Deputies began attempting to negotiate the male out of the bathroom for approximately 30 minutes until the male climbed up into the ceiling, accessing the adjoining businesses. The male damaged ceiling tiles as he began stepping through the ceiling of the Starbucks.
The male later accessed the Great Clips, located next to the Starbucks, by breaking through a dividing wall in the ceiling. While the male was doing this, deputies were still attempting to negotiate with the male informing him he was under arrest and needed to comply with commands. The male continued to refuse to follow commands of the deputies. The male damaged ceiling tiles of the Great Clips causing occupants of the business to evacuate.
Employees and customers were displaced from both businesses. One of the customers of Great Clips was getting his hair cut at the time, and had to exit the business.
After informing the male he was under arrest multiple times, no compliance and no dialogue being communicated, the use of a less-lethal platform was utilized. The less-lethal platform utilized was pepper-ball, which is a less-lethal platform that deploys a chemical irritant to gain compliance. The male continued to be non-compliant. At one point, the male damaged the sprinkler system causing water to flood the Starbucks.
Clark County Fire District 6 personnel were also summoned to the scene to assist with a ladder in order to access the ceiling and later for the fire alarm and sprinkler system going off. Fire District 6 assisted with shutting off water to the building, as the water wouldn’t stop until it was done.
After more pepper-balls were deployed, the suspect became compliant and climbed down through the ceiling and was taken into custody without further incident.
In all, Starbucks and Great Clips were closed due to the damage of both businesses. Both physical damage and financial loss were suffered by both businesses.
The male was later transported to Clark County Law Enforcement Center, CCLEC, and booked on multiple counts of felony Malicious Mischief, Criminal Trespass, and Resisting Arrest.
Information provided by Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
Also read:
- Opinion: OIC tells consumers not to pay for ‘insurance’ you won’t likely benefit from: Does that include WA Cares?Elizabeth New (Hovde) of the Washington Policy Center believes you should consider yourself warned by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner about WA Cares and its maybe-only benefit.
- Opinion: Same road, different speed limit?Target Zero Manager Doug Dahl addresses a question about speed limit signs going into and leaving town.
- Progress being made at GRO Parade of Homes siteThe 2024 GRO Parade of Homes, presented by the Building Industry Association of Clark County, is a little more than a month away, and builders are busy completing the luxury homes before the big event, scheduled for Sept. 6 through 22 in Felida.
- Has trust in the media tanked over coverage of President Biden’s decline?After President Joe Biden’s calamitous debate performance against former President Donald Trump, and days after Biden’s decision Sunday not to seek reelection, there are still many questions about how the news media covered Biden’s mental and physical decline.
- Opinion: Hiding the growing cost of the Interstate Bridge replacementJoe Cortright of the City Observatory addresses the rising cost of the Interstate 5 Bridge replacement project.
- Letter: ‘This election I am NOT voting for Greg Cheney’Clark County resident Wynn Grcich shares her thoughts on Rep. Greg Cheney and the issue of fluoridation in area drinking water.
- Major gas line leak closes major arterial in Clark CountyFirefighters from Clark County Fire District 6 responded Thursday (July 25) afternoon to the scene of a major natural gas leak on NE 99th Street, directly in front of Columbia River High School.