PORT ANGELES — A Port Angeles man charged in three assaults, including one on a Clallam Transit bus, will undergo a mental health evaluation at Western State Hospital before his cases are adjudicated.
Riley Edge White, 59, is charged in three cases for alleged unprovoked attacks in a Clallam Transit bus, the county jail and his Port Angeles home.
After being evaluated by defense psychiatrist Dr. Kenneth Muscatel, White pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the alleged bus and domestic assaults.
He maintains his innocence in an alleged attack on a Clallam County jail officer.
Clallam County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Michele Devlin is seeking a second mental health evaluation for White.
Superior Court Judge Christopher Melly accepted the insanity pleas Sept. 30 and signed an order for White to be evaluated in the Clallam County jail.
“Western State, because of the complicated nature of what’s going on and what was disclosed in Dr. Muscatel’s report, wanted him transported to Western State,” Devlin said in a Tuesday court hearing.
“At this point, I don’t have an update on when they will be able to get to him.”
Western State Hospital is in Lakewood, just south of Tacoma.
Devlin requested a one-week continuance to get a better sense of White’s status.
“I don’t want to lose track of him,” Devlin said.
“I want to be able to know where he’s going and what the status is.”
Speedy trial deadline
White has a speedy trial deadline looming Tuesday.
Melly reset the review hearing for 1 p.m. Monday.
“At that point, I will make a record to extend the speedy trial deadline based upon good cause,” Devlin said.
Defense Attorney Harry Gasnick of Clallam Public Defender said he would “concede good cause” to extend the deadline.
White is charged with two counts of second-degree assault and single counts of first-degree attempted kidnapping and first-degree attempted robbery for a May 28 incident on a Clallam Transit bus.
Port Angeles police said White kicked and punched an 80-year-old passenger and the Clallam Transit operator who came to her defense. White also tried to kidnap the driver and take her property, police alleged.
White is charged with custodial assault after a corrections officer was punched July 11.
He is charged with second-degree assault for allegedly attacking a woman who rented a room at his house Aug. 27.
White is being held in the Clallam County jail on $200,000 bail.
After his most recent arrest, White told police he suffered a brain injury when he was beaten up in Mexico several years ago. He told Officer David Dombrowski that he has seizures and does not remember his actions during his seizures, according to the arrest narrative.
Inpatient evaluation
In a Friday letter to the court, the Western State Hospital Community Forensic Evaluation Service requested an inpatient evaluation for White rather than a jail evaluation.
”It is my opinion that due to the complex medical nature of this case, the clinical issues are not answerable during a jail or community evaluation,” Western State’s Richard Yocum wrote in the letter.
“Inpatient observation and assessment at Western State Hospital is requested to complete the evaluation.”
Melly signed an order authorizing White’s transport to and from Western State.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at [email protected] dailynews.com.
