2 weeks Ago
A Pe Ell man is facing felony hate crime and harassment charges after he allegedly made racist remarks and threatened to kill an Asian police officer who contacted him while investigating a hit-and-run in Centralia on Wednesday. The incident occurred after officer Caleb Parsons with the Centralia Police Department responded to a report of a hit-and-run in the 1000 block of North Pearl Street at 8:25 p.m.
on Wednesday, April 16, according to Lewis County Superior Court and Centralia Police Department records. A blue Suburban had reportedly struck a Ram 1500 and drove away on its rim. Two other Centralia Police Department officers responded to assist in the investigation.
They tracked the suspect vehicle to a Eureka Avenue residence and contacted Colton Leonard Kalebaugh, 27, who they identified as the suspected driver of the Suburban. According to court documents, Parsons “immediately noted physical signs of impairment and detected the smell of intoxicants on (Kalebaugh’s) person — Kalebaugh was unable to walk or stand on his own.” When Parsons and the two other officers advised Kalebaugh of his rights and began to question him, Kalebaugh allegedly refused to speak to Parsons and would only speak with the other two officers.
Lewis County Superior Court documents indicate that Parsons is of Asian descent and the other two officers are white. When Parsons did speak to him, Kalebaugh allegedly made racist comments and yelled insults at him, according to court documents. The officers ultimately transported Kalebaugh to Providence Centralia Hospital for a blood draw due to his suspected intoxication.
While at the hospital, Kalebaugh allegedly “became irate” and continued to yell racist insults at Parsons. “Kalebaugh had to be moved to another area of the hospital because of his demeanor,” the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office stated in charging documents. On the way to another room at the hospital, Kalebaugh allegedly “repeatedly turned towards Ofc.
Parsons and yelled insults at him and would push Ofc. Parsons,” according to court documents. When Parsons told Kalebaugh not to push him, Kalebaugh allegedly “responded by saying that if he didn’t have the cuffs on, I (Ofc.
Parsons) would be a b—h on the ground” and said “I got about six hot leads that say you would be,” according to court documents. Parsons reportedly believed the statement “to be a threat to shoot him.” Kalebaugh then allegedly continued to yell insults at Parsons and told one of the other officers “that he would continue to be uncooperative as long as Ofc.
Parsons was around.” Kalebaugh did allegedly calm down and allow the blood draw to take place after one of the white officers stepped in to facilitate. Kalebaugh was booked into the Lewis County Jail at 1:10 a.
m. on Thursday, April 17, according to jail records. He has since been charged with one count each of hate crime, felony harassment, obstructing a law enforcement officer, DUI, hit-and-run and third-degree driving with a suspended license.
Hate crime and felony harassment are each classified as class C felonies, which carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The prosecution asked for Kalebaugh’s bail to be set at $10,000 on Thursday due to his lack of criminal history. “I think $10,000 is very reasonable,” Lewis County Superior Court Judge Joely Yeager said Thursday, granting the prosecution’s bail request.
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, April 24..
