Two men arrested in Port Angeles robbery

PORT ANGELES — City police Tuesday arrested two men who allegedly tied up a motel guest with duct tape and robbed him of money and other items.

Charles L. Pitchford, 22, and Joseph E. Elliott, 22, were booked into the ­Clallam County jail for investigation of first-degree armed robbery after a short foot pursuit from the motel at Front and Washington streets to an apartment complex at Fifth and Francis streets in Port Angeles.

Pitchford and Elliott were scheduled to make their first court appearance Wednesday afternoon.

Both are listed as homeless.

The alleged victim told police that he had been robbed at gunpoint by two men who fled south from the Aircrest Motel at about 5 p.m.

The man who reported the robbery had head lacerations but refused medical treatment, Port Angeles Deputy Police Chief Brian Smith said.

Port Angeles police, ­Clallam County sheriff’s deputies, Border Patrol agents and State Patrol troopers established a containment area around Fifth and Race streets at about 5:15 p.m.

Jag, a Port Angeles police dog, and Cpl. Kevin Miller tracked the two men’s scent from the hotel to the apartment complex.

Tenants helped investigators locate the men in one of the apartments.

An occupant gave sheriff’s detectives permission to enter and search for the men.

Police obtained a warrant and found physical evidence in the apartment.

No weapon was recovered.

“We’re still trying to put together all the pieces of this,” Smith said Wednesday.

________

Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Sue Long, left, Vicki Bennett and Frank Handler, all from Port Townsend, volunteer at the Martin Luther King Day of Service beach restoration on Monday at Fort Worden State Park. The activity took place on Knapp Circle near the Point Wilson Lighthouse. Sixty-four volunteers participated in the removal of non-native beach grasses. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Work party

Sue Long, left, Vicki Bennett and Frank Handler, all from Port Townsend,… Continue reading

Portion of bridge to be replaced

Tribe: Wooden truss at railroad park deteriorating

Kingsya Omega, left, and Ben Wilson settle into a hand-holding exercise. (Aliko Weste)
Process undermines ‘Black brute’ narrative

Port Townsend company’s second film shot in Hawaii

Jefferson PUD to replace water main in Coyle

Jefferson PUD commissioners awarded a $1.3 million construction contract… Continue reading

Scott Mauk.
Chimacum superintendent receives national award

Chimacum School District Superintendent Scott Mauk has received the National… Continue reading

Hood Canal Coordinating Council meeting canceled

The annual meeting of the Hood Canal Coordinating Council, scheduled… Continue reading

Bruce Murray, left, and Ralph Parsons hang a cloth exhibition in the rotunda of the old Clallam County Courthouse on Friday in Port Angeles. The North Olympic History Center exhibit tells the story of the post office past and present across Clallam County. The display will be open until early February, when it will be relocated to the Sequim City Hall followed by stops on the West End. The project was made possible due to a grant from the Clallam County Heritage Advisory Board. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Post office past and present

Bruce Murray, left, and Ralph Parsons hang a cloth exhibition in the… Continue reading

This agave grew from the size of a baseball in the 1990s to the height of Isobel Johnston’s roof in 2020. She saw it bloom in 2023. Following her death last year, Clallam County Fire District 3 commissioners, who purchased the property on Fifth Avenue in 2015, agreed to sell it to support the building of a new Carlsborg fire station. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group file)
Fire district to sell property known for its Sequim agave plant

Sale proceeds may support new Carlsborg station project

As part of Olympic Theatre Arts’ energy renovation upgrade project, new lighting has been installed, including on the Elaine and Robert Caldwell Main Stage that allows for new and improved effects. (Olympic Theatre Arts)
Olympic Theatre Arts remodels its building

New roof, LED lights, HVAC throughout

Weekly flight operations scheduled

Field carrier landing practice operations will be conducted for aircraft… Continue reading

Workers from Van Ness Construction in Port Hadlock, one holding a grade rod with a laser pointer, left, and another driving the backhoe, scrape dirt for a new sidewalk of civic improvements at Walker and Washington streets in Port Townsend on Thursday. The sidewalks will be poured in early February and extend down the hill on Washington Street and along Walker Street next to the pickle ball courts. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Sidewalk setup

Workers from Van Ness Construction in Port Hadlock, one holding a grade… Continue reading