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Monte locker room assault captured on cell phone
A seventh-grader at Montesano Junior/Senior High School was beaten so severely in the locker room after PE three weeks ago that he passed out on the front lawn of his house after being dropped off by the bus. A sibling found him as he was waking up and called their mother.

The mother called school officials who said they would look into it the next day.

Instead, the mother called police, and she noted that the beating was captured on another student’s cell phone.

Police Chief Ray Sowers said Tuesday the investigation is nearly complete and he expects the case will be forwarded to the juvenile prosecutor sometime this week.

“This case has a little bit of everything that scares parents,” he said. “There’s name calling, bullying, cell phones … and we have an assault.”

The names of the students involved are being withheld because they are juveniles. According to police, the two seventh-graders had verbally sparred on and off all day. The assailant was calling the victim a derogatory name and the victim would retort back and tell the assailant to stop.

The name calling — “verbal altercation” — escalated through the day “and the assault took place in the locker room at the end of the school day,” according to Sowers, who was reading from a report.
In the locker room, the victim repeatedly told the assailant to stop calling him names. He was pushed several times, and each time held up his hands and told the assailant to stop, according to police. By this time, at least seven and probably more boys had gathered round. The victim was punched several times in the chest and in the head. He fell back and hit his head and was punched again in the head, according to police.

The fight caught the attention of an eighth-grader who flipped open his cell phone to capture it with the phone’s recording device.
According to police, the cell phone captures the victim being hit around the face and holding up his hands to fend off the blows and repeatedly asking the assailant to stop. The beating continues for several more blows until another student steps in between the two to stop it.

A couple of the victim’s friends helped him out of the locker room. Police said they don’t know where the teacher was and the students didn’t report it.

Instead, the boy said he just wanted to go home.

After getting off the bus, he began feeling lightheaded and apparently passed out in the front yard. His brother helped him into the house where they called their mother. She called police, tracked down the video and took her son to the hospital.

The assault was shared via cell phone among students and police were able to obtain a copy.

Sowers said his department’s investigation “is only the criminal part” and even though he’s a member of the School Board, any questions about school policies on bullying, assault and locker room supervision are best directed to the principal.

Principal Bob Corley couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday or on Wednesday morning.

Mark Reed Advisory Committee formed
Since last fall, McCleary’s Mark Reed Hospital and its Health Care District have been the focus of a concerted effort to gather community input on what folks need and want when it comes to health care. Input has also been solicited on how the hospital can financially offer those services. An overriding theme that’s come up during four community forums in various parts of the district has been that many people haven’t been aware of the array of services that are already available at the hospital and its family practice clinic.

Scout leader in bid for House
Following the Scouts’ motto, “Be Prepared,” Montesano Scoutmaster Robert Randall “Randy” Dutton is ready to put his political beliefs into action. Last Sunday, Dutton announced he will challenge state Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, for his seat in the 24th District. Dutton, 51, who works at home as a telecommuter and is a retired Navy commander, will run on the Republican ticket. Another Republican, Thomas Thomas, 40, of Joyce, who owns Strait Broadband, announced in December he would run as a Republican against Van De Wege.

You can dig it: four-days, four beaches of clams
Clam diggers have received the go-ahead for a morning razor clam dig starting Saturday on four ocean beaches after marine toxin tests showed the clams on those beaches are safe to eat, according to the state Department of Fish & Wildlife. The beaches at Copalis, Mocrocks, Twin Harbors and Long Beach will be open for digging Saturday and Sunday, April 19 and 20. Twin Harbors beach will be open for three additional days, April 21-23, according to the department. No digging will be allowed after noon on any beach. Kalaloch Beach will remain closed.

Other Sports

Bulldogs fastpitch baffles Beavers
Montesano junior Aubree Pocklington was a main catalyst in the Bulldog’s offensive explosions that helped Monte sweep Tenino, 13-3 and 10-0, in a 1A Evergreen League fastpitch doubleheader on Thursday, April 10, at the ball field on the MHS campus. Pocklington slugged two inside-the-park home runs in the first game and then delivered two triples and a double in the nightcap, collecting four RBIs total in the process. While Pocklington was providing the long balls in both games, the Bulldog pitchers – Courtney Lloyd and Devyn Baker – tossed fine games. Lloyd tossed a three-hitter in the opener and Baker followed that up by authoring a no-hitter in the nightcap.

Montesano soccer picks up a pair of wins on the road
WINLOCK – Behind two second half goals, Montesano gained the advantage and nabbed a, 3-2, boys soccer victory over the Winlock/Toledo combined team on Thursday, April 10, at Winlock. Montesano’s Gonzalo Gaona got the Bulldogs on the board in the 24th minute after taking a pass from Luis Reyes and depositing it in the Winlock/Toledo goal.