BRINNON — A Brinnon man has been charged with first-degree malicious mischief and residential burglary after he allegedly broke into the Brinnon Fire Department.
Steve B. Redhead, 62, was charged with residential burglary because full-time firefighters reside in the fire hall, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Patrol Sgt. Brett Anglin said.
Redhead’s bond amount was set at $25,000, according to court documents. He is scheduled for a hearing at 9 a.m. April 11 in Jefferson County Superior Court, according to the prosecuting attorney’s office.
Redhead, who had a history of breaking into the fire station, was arrested at 10:33 p.m. Monday by Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies, according to a report by Patrol Deputy Jason Avery, part of the declaration of probable cause from the prosecuting attorney’s office.
“Redhead entered through the front office glass window, which he broke, causing the two resident fire personnel to evacuate out of the back of the building,” Avery said in the report. “The two resident firefighters witnessed Redhead inside the building pacing around the fire apparatus in the engine bay.”
Deputies who were in the area responded, Anglin said, and deputies observed Redhead in the engine bay, Avery reported.
Redhead was seen getting into a rescue truck, according to Avery’s report. Brake lights came on and it was believed that he might start the truck and drive it through the closed door.
Spikes were requested to be placed in front of the bay door, Avery wrote.
“He was seen pacing around,” he wrote. “I observed Redhead pushing a desk chair toward the bay doors. He used the chair to break out a window on the garage door. Redhead then threw a coffee pot through another window on the doors. Redhead continued to break additional windows using a weed eater he found in the engine bay.”
Anglin said Redhead broke about seven windows in total.
Avery’s report described Redhead as bloody with injuries to his hands and arms from breaking the glass. He was sweaty and acting erratic, claiming to see armed people, Avery wrote.
Redhead was taken into custody without further incident, Avery added.
Found in his possession was a locked-open 6-inch folding knife and several closed knives, as well as two bottles of prescription drugs, Avery wrote. No firearm was located, according to the report.
Redhead was transported to the Jefferson County jail and treated for injuries, the report said.
Avery’s report alluded to a similar previous incident.
“Redhead is known to the fire personnel as he has done this similar act in the past where he forced entry into the fire station the same way, through the front glass with a loaded firearm,” the report read.
Redhead had called 911 earlier Monday to report a burglary on his Brinnon property.
“At about 9:18 on the 31st, JCSO received a report of a man, he reported a burglary in progress at his residence,” Anglin said. “That there were six people there stealing solar panels and pieces off (his) boat. The reporting party was locked in the garage, he said.”
Redhead said he had a gun in his possession, Anglin said.
“Deputies were familiar with this man who had experienced behavioral health disorders in the past,” Anglin said.
Deputies were concerned about Redhead being armed, Anglin said.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they attempted to make contact with Redhead, both on their public address speaker and by calling him on the number he used to call dispatch, Anglin said. All efforts to contact him failed, he added.
“At one point, he was saying he was fighting with individuals within his residence or in the garage,” Anglin said. “We could hear him rummaging in the garage. However, there was no other sounds of anyone else being present.”
In spite of what Redhead had indicated, no other vehicles were on the scene, Anglin said.
The facility was surrounded by a chain link fence and the gate was locked, Anglin said.
Believing it was a mental health issue and that there was no feasible way to take him into custody, onsite law enforcement left the scene, Anglin said.
“We elected to return to where we were going to apply for an emergency risk protection order,” Anglin said.
About six minutes later, Anglin said he heard that the man had broken into the Brinnon Fire Department.
It remains unclear whether Redhead had a firearm at the time of the call to his residence, according to Avery’s report.
Redhead’s firearms were returned to him after an extreme risk protection order expired in 2019, according to Avery’s report.
“Redhead also has had his concealed pistol license revoked, which also expired 4/13/2020,” Avery wrote.
Avery requested an issuance of a high-risk protection order for Redhead, saying in the report that Redhead is believed to be a danger to himself and others, including first responders.
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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@sequimgazette.com.
