FORKS — A Forks man charged with hitting a man in the face, causing him to be airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, will be arraigned today in Clallam County Superior Court.
Storm Wayne Rosander, 20, was charged Monday with second-degree assault after admitting to police he hit Robert Wood once in the face Oct. 5 on the 200 block of Cedar Avenue, court records say.
Witness accounts
Witnesses told police Rosander hit Wood in the face with a closed fist, knocking him out, court documents say. When Rosander hit him, Wood collapsed and hit his head on cement, according to records.
Wood had “extensive facial damage,” and his left eye was shut and swollen, records say.
“There was a large amount of blood coming from Wood’s head and flowing down his face,” records say, adding that he also appeared to have suffered a wound to the back of his head.
Wood was intubated at Forks Community Hospital but was airlifted to Harborview shortly thereafter. Court records say the injuries were life-threatening, that brain injury was likely and that he suffered an orbital fracture.
His condition was not available from Harborview on Thursday.
Rosander was arrested shortly after the alleged assault and booked into the Forks jail. Police noticed blood smeared on the back of his left arm and that he had debris ground into the knuckles of his left hand, records say.
Rosander told police the same day that he had heard Wood had threatened to assault him and was worried Wood was “going to come after him,” records say.
Rosander told police that when he saw Wood’s car parked, he went to the house where Wood was hanging out so he could confront him about the threats he had been hearing.
Wood got so close to Rosander’s face that he could feel spit hitting him, Rosander told police.
“[Rosander] felt threatened, so he punched [Wood] one time with a closed fist,” records say. He told police he did not intend to assault Wood when he went to confront him.
Rosander was booked into the Clallam County jail the day after the alleged assault, Oct. 6. He is being held on $20,000 bail.
Rosander was convicted in August of possession of a controlled substance other than marijuana and sentenced to 21 days in jail.
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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsula dailynews.com.