PORT TOWNSEND – An argument between two women Thursday afternoon at the Penny Saver Mart convenience store resulted in two arrests after a knife was found in a pickup owned by one woman’s boyfriend and was identified by witnesses.
The second woman, the victim of the alleged assault, was arrested on an outstanding warrant.
Both were taken to the Jefferson County jail.
According to witnesses Larry Hutton and Rob Armstrong, Lisa Sarytchoff, 49, of Port Townsend was walking into the store at 2140 E. Sims Way at about 4 p.m. when she was insulted by Letitia Thompsen, 48, of Port Townsend.
Sarytchoff went into the ladies room where she was followed by Thompsen, who slammed and locked the door, both men said.
The men heard the women yelling, and Armstrong, who is Sarytchoff’s boyfriend, asked store personnel to intervene, but they declined, they said.
After a few minutes, both women left the restroom, continuing their argument, and Sarytchoff “threw something [at the other woman] and was asked to leave,” Hutton said.
Sarytchoff complied, Armstrong said, and Thompsen followed her.
The women began fighting in the parking lot, and Armstrong separated them, he said.
Four witnesses saw Sarytchoff brandishing a knife, and store personnel called police, said Port Townsend Sgt. Joe Kaare.
Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies were the first to arrive on scene, with four Port Townsend police cruisers immediately following.
“It was an assault with a knife, so I was going to bring everyone out,” Kaare said.
In their statements to police and the Peninsula Daily News, Hutton and Armstrong said they did not see a knife.
Police officers searched Armstrong first and then searched his red Ford pickup truck. There, they said, they found a knife that matched the witnesses’ descriptions buried under several other items.
The officers showed the silver folding knife to the witnesses, who identified it as the one they saw Sarytchoff waving at Thompsen.
Thompsen, while identified as the assault victim, was arrested on a failure-to-appear warrant.
Kaare said all officers would meet today to compare notes and determine whether obstruction of justice charges would be filed against Armstrong.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.