A Sequim man was arrested twice within 15 hours last week for allegedly smashing out windows at Serenity House and Port Angeles City Hall.
Wesley R. Alcorn, 59, was first arrested at about 1:58 a.m. Friday, Dec. 1, for allegedly smashing out a front window at Serenity House at 2321 W. 18th St., Port Angeles police said.
The right front door at Serenity House was boarded up the next day.
Police said that after being released from the Clallam County jail at about 4 p.m., Alcorn walked to City Hall and blocked the path of a city employee who was trying to gain entrance to the lobby of the Port Angeles Police Department, which was closed for administrative business.
“He had just gotten out of jail,” Cpl. Clay Rife said in a telephone interview.
The employee worked his way around Alcorn to unlock the door while Alcorn was cursing at him, Sgt. Kevin Miller said in a news release.
“The employee got in the door and secured himself inside, away from Alcorn,” Miller said.
Two front windows of the north entrance to City Hall were then smashed with landscaping rocks, as was the 9-1-1 communications phone at the north mall.
The windows were boarded up on Dec. 2. The emergency phone was destroyed.
“This phone is used on a daily basis for citizens to have direct communications with emergency services, some who chose to report things to the police who may not have a cell phone,” Miller said.
Alcorn confronted a city official as he tried to enter the east arboretum doors, Miller said.
“Alcorn told the employee that this was ‘his property,’” Miller said.
“The employee did not feel safe and secured the doors to protect himself and other employees. He requested another employee to call the police,” Miller added.
“The employee then watched Alcorn pick up two landscaping rocks and throw them into two adjacent office windows, smashing them.”
Alcorn was arrested at 4:36 p.m. without further incident. He was booked into the Clallam County jail for investigation of disorderly conduct and first-degree malicious mischief, Miller said.
A city maintenance manager estimated the cost of labor and materials to repair the damage at City Hall to be about $5,000, Miller said.
Rob Ollikainen is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. He can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
