PORT ANGELES — A Port Angeles man was taken into custody after police officers said he was found leaving the woods near the Olympic National Park Visitor Center following a break-in.
Richard K. Terwilliger, 23, had blood on his shirt, and that is believed to be connected to damaged goods and a broken window at the visitor center early Saturday morning, said Deputy Police Chief Brian Smith.
Smith said the case will be handled in federal court because the break-in occurred on national park land.
When the alarm went off at about 3 a.m. at the visitor center at 3002 Mount Angeles Road, police investigated.
“We are cross-commissioned as federal agents so that we can immediately respond to these types of calls,” Smith said.
“It is a credit to the Port Angeles police, as well as the park, that we had the foresight to do the cross-commissioning.”
Terwilliger was arrested for investigation of burglary and malicious mischief and was booked into the Clallam County jail.
Smith said two other people who were leaving the visitor center in a car at the time.
They were temporarily detained and questioned, but officers determined there was no probable cause to hold them, Smith said.
Smith said police will investigate if the break-in was related to a rash of home burglaries throughout Clallam County this year.
