PORT ANGELES — The 15-year-old boy involved in the assault of a homeless man on City Pier has been sentenced to between four and nine months in juvenile detention with credit for 91 days of time served plus 12 months probation and an alcohol and drug evaluation.
The boy was sentenced Thursday for the assault that occurred Aug. 14.
He pleaded guilty to one count of rendering criminal assistance and two counts of fourth-degree assault. The sentences for all three charges are to be served concurrently.
The 17-year-old boy who was allegedly involved is scheduled to appear at 9 a.m. Dec. 7 in Clallam County Superior Court for a status hearing. He faces one count of first-degree robbery with a firearm enhancement.
The two juveniles were arrested Aug. 15 and charged with assaulting an unhoused man on the Port Angeles City Pier and throwing his belongings in the harbor. The two allegedly posted a video filmed by the 15-year-old of the 17-year-old hitting the man and threatening him with what appeared to be a gun. The video was widely viewed on social media locally.
More than two dozen people, including the victim, were present in the courtroom when the two appeared via teleconference from the Clallam County Juvenile Detention Facility last week. The victim made no comment.
Security cameras on City Pier helped Port Angeles police identify the two juveniles after the alleged victim of the attack reported it to police on Aug. 14. The two were arrested just as the video allegedly filmed of the attack was shared on social media, according to Port Angeles Police Sgt. Kevin Miller.
Miller said the victim was sleeping on City Pier when he was awakened at 5 a.m. by being punched in the face and threatened with what he thought was a gun. The victim came to the police department at 2 p.m. that same day to report it, Miller said.
The man had suffered numerous bruises, but his injuries were non-life-threatening, Miller said.
Officers obtained city security video from the pier and gathered enough information to corroborate the victim’s story, Miller said.
A Gofundme campaign to help the victim with replacing his belongings and moving into permanent housing raised $12,475, well beyond its original goal of $875, and it has since been closed.
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Reporter Brian Gawley can be reached at brian.gawley@peninsuladailynews.com.
