Man threatened officers’ families, police claim

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, May 29, 2018

An Oak Harbor man is accused of threatening the lives of officers and their families after police responded to a report of a domestic dispute involving a gun May 19, according to court documents.

Kevin Whelchel, 34, appeared in Island County Superior Court on May 26. The following day, prosecutors charged him with assault in the third degree and three counts of harassment — threats to kill.

His attorney argued that the incident was isolated; it occurred because Whelchel is on new medication and he didn’t know he wasn’t supposed to mix it with alcohol.

Deputy Prosecutor Michael Safstrom argued that bail should be set for Whelchel because of the seriousness of the incident.

“This is a person who is incapable or unwilling to de-escalate once he becomes angry,” he said.

Judge Vickie Churchill agreed and set Whelchel’s bail at $15,000.

According to the police report, a woman in Oak Harbor reported to police that Whelchel threatened her with guns at their home. As a result, three officers responded to the scene; one officer was armed with a “patrol rifle.”

The woman told officers that Whelchel never pointed a gun at her, but he had threatened to “shoot up” her friends and her friend’s business, an officer wrote in his report.

The officers decided to temporarily seize a rifle that was on the kitchen table because of the intoxicated state of both people. Whelchel, however, got upset and advanced on the officers while screaming and using profanities, the report states. One of the officers tasered him and then the officers were able to take him into custody.

Whelchel kicked at one of the officers and struck his rifle, according to the report.

On the way to jail, Whelchel allegedly threatened to kill the officers and their families, the report states.

If convicted of the charges against him, Whelchel could face up to a year in jail under the standard sentencing range.