PORT ANGELES — An assault charge against a Forks man who allegedly attacked a West End police chief has been dismissed on jurisdictional grounds.
Taylor Jacob Graham allegedly assaulted La Push Police Chief Bill Lyon near the Dickey River Bridge on Mora Road on Nov. 10.
Clallam County Superior Court Judge Erik Rohrer last Thursday granted a motion to dismiss the third-degree assault charge because the alleged crime took place inside Olympic National Park.
Graham, 20, is still charged on single counts of attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle, obstructing a law enforcement officer, hit-and-run of an attended vehicle and two counts of third-degree assault.
He allegedly kicked a Forks police officer and a La Push wildlife officer at Forks Community Hospital after his arrest, according to the affidavit for probable cause.
Rohrer denied defense attorney Loren Oakley’s motion to dismiss the charge of attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle, court papers said.
Graham’s trial is set for Feb. 8.
According to the arrest report, authorities had been looking for Graham because he had allegedly backed a truck into a car at the intersection of Forks Avenue and Division Street in Forks.
Lyon spotted Graham and the GMC truck he was driving in the overflow parking lot at Rialto Beach.
According to court papers, Graham fled in the truck but became stuck in a ditch as he attempted a U-turn on Mora Road near the bridge, which is inside the park boundary.
Graham allegedly got out of the vehicle, resisted a Taser shot and took a running charge at Lyon, sending both men to the ground.
Graham then ran into the river, where he was arrested by several officers, court papers said.
Maps, aerial photos and photographs were used as exhibits in last Thursday’s hearing on the defense motion to dismiss the first assault charge.
A pretrial status conference was set for Jan. 29.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
