PORT TOWNSEND — A local man is in custody following an attempted assault on the popular Larry Scott Memorial Trail.
Mohabo Boughton, 24, of Port Townsend was arrested last Wednesday for investigation of felony assault 2 and unlawful carrying of a weapon capable of bodily harm, a misdemeanor.
He was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Jefferson County Jail. His bail was set at $1,000.
According to the county prosecutor’s office, the investigation into the attempted assault is ongoing and charges have yet to be filed.
Boughton’s first court date has yet to be scheduled. He was still in custody Monday.
According to Jefferson County Sheriff’s Detective Joe Nole, a woman riding her bicycle on the Larry Scott Memorial Trail near Nelson’s Landing and Cape George roads was approached by a man wielding an orange baseball bat who tried to strike her.
Nole said the woman was able to ride away unharmed and dialed 9-1-1.
The man was described as a black male wearing a red jacket. He was last seen on foot heading toward Port Townsend from the area where the incident took place.
Sheriff’s deputies located the suspect about 15 minutes later near state Highway 20 and Discovery Road. He was walking along the trail, carrying an orange baseball bat behind his head.
During his arrest, Boughton allegedly was found to be carrying an 8-inch fixed-blade knife tucked into his belt.
Nole said this was the first incident of its kind to be reported on the popular trail.
“She had situational awareness,” he said. “It’s important to always be alert to your surroundings. When she was confronted, she did all the right things. She was able to get away from the situation quickly and had a cellphone to call for help.”
The Larry Scott Memorial Trail is located in both the city of Port Townsend and Jefferson County.
It is nearly 8 miles long and begins at the Port of Port Townsend Boat Haven trailhead and ends at the Milo Curry trailhead near Four Corners at state highway 20.
It is expected to extend through Discovery Bay and connect to the Olympic Discovery Trail, which will eventually create a continuous path west to La Push.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Jeannie McMacken can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jmcmacken@peninsuladailynews.com.