PORT ANGELES — A Port Townsend man accused of shooting a Sequim man and brutally beating a Carlsborg woman in separate incidents last week has had his bail doubled to $1 million.
William Tomasi Leoso, 46, also known as “Oos,” according to court documents, was charged Tuesday in Clallam County Superior Court with first-degree assault with a firearm, four counts of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
Leoso, whose new bail also was set Tuesday, will be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. May 15. He remained in the county jail on Thursday.
He is charged with shooting the Sequim man, 24, in the right foot with a handgun on April 29. The man required surgery at Olympic Medical Center, according to a probable cause statement.
About three hours later, Leoso allegedly punched the Carlsborg woman, 34, in the head with brass knuckles 15 times, pointed a handgun at her head and at two men who tried to stop him.
Court records did not indicate the woman sought medical attention. She left the Ruths Place address where the assault occurred before deputies arrived, they said.
The woman and man have not fully cooperated with the investigation into the incidents, Chief Criminal Deputy Brian King said Wednesday, saying they appear to be afraid of Leoso.
“We have enough evidence to proceed, we believe,” King said.
“We have witnesses to the events, and that helps tremendously.
“My experience is that, over time, once victims of crimes feel safe and feel that the perpetrator who victimized them is being held accountable, they grow more confident in their ability to cooperate.”
According to Peninsula Communications dispatchers, when the shooting was reported by the woman at about 10 a.m. April 29, the man and woman accused each other of stealing from Leoso.
The woman said the man “was being held against his will,” according to the probable cause statement.
When deputies arrived at the address on Secor Road near Sequim, both the man and woman were gone.
Deputies discovered a bullet casing near the door and dried blood on the porch, according to the probable cause statement written by county Sheriff’s Detective Brandon Stoppani.
The man declined to be a victim in the case but told Stoppani that Leoso shot him while they were sitting at the kitchen table.
“William told him he was pleased [the man] was man enough to come and see him,” according to the probable cause statement, which added that Leoso fired two bullets into the floor before walking around the table.
“William told [the man] to put his foot out,” the statement said.
“William shot [the man] in the foot.”
Leoso drove the man to Jefferson Healthcare hospital, where the man declined to be treated. Instead, the man called a friend to take him to Olympic Medical Center, he told Stoppani.
“[The man] said he was not involved with the situation,” Stoppani wrote.
“He just got caught in the middle trying to help out [the woman],” according to the statement.
“[The man] said he was shot in the foot ‘to make an example of me.’ ”
When Leoso was arrested the morning of April 30 in Jefferson County for allegedly assaulting the woman, he had a loaded 9 mm Ruger pistol in his possession.
The sock of the man he allegedly shot was found in the kitchen trash area at the Secor Road address punctured by what appeared to be a bullet hole.
The owner of the residence and a resident of the property corroborated the man’s statements, Stoppani said.
Leoso has multiple felony convictions in King County, including second-degree assault.
Three hours after the shooting, a deputy was dispatched to a Ruths Place address where Leoso allegedly assaulted the woman.
Two men told deputies they saw Leoso beating the woman outside the location, according to the probable cause statement by Deputy Ben Tomco.
“[One of the witnesses] said he saw the man punching [the woman] up to 15 times, crushing her nose and face,” Tomco said.
“The man was wearing brass knuckles.
“[The witness] said the man was saying, ‘Where’s my [expletive deleted].’ ”
Leoso pointed a handgun at the men and the woman, according to the probable cause statement.
According to one of the men, Leoso told the woman, “I will shoot you in the head.”
Jefferson County Undersheriff Andy Pernsteiner and Detective Derek Allen arrested Leoso at about 9 a.m. April 30 in Port Hadlock without incident.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
