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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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ESCAPE AND ASSAULT TO OFFICER
October 1, 2004

On October 1, 2004, at approximately 9:30AM, Shawn M. Hafling, 41 years old, of Port Townsend appeared in Jefferson County Superior Court to be sentenced for a hit and run accident involving injuries. After Judge Craddock Verser sentenced Hafling to confinement in the county jail, and ordered him to be taken into custody, Hafling bolted and ran from Deputy Alex Mintz (Courtroom Security Officer). Deputy Mintz caught Hafling at the exit door from the courtroom and after a brief struggle, Hafling was able to escape from the deputies grasp and fled from the courtroom.

A citizen seated in the courtroom then chased Hafling and tackled him on the landing between the first and second floors of the courthouse. Deputy Bob Anderson (Civil Deputy) and Deputy Bill Wells (Courthouse Security Officer) both heard the disturbance and responded to the altercation between the citizen and Hafling.

Hafling was then taken into custody, however, the arresting deputies noted he appeared to be having some difficulty breathing and summoned an aid car to the scene. Hafling was transported by aid car to Jefferson General Hospital where he was examined and released.

Hafling was booked into the Jefferson County Jail at approximately 1230 hours.

Hafling had been arrested by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, on March 1, 2004, after being involved in a vehicle collision on Swansonville Road that resulted in injuries to a 64 year old Port Ludlow woman.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office will forward a report to the Prosecutor requesting additional charges upon the completion of the investigation.