AGNEW — A Port Angeles man who was the subject of an hours-long search in the Agnew area after a reported attempted burglary has pleaded not guilty to burglary and attempted theft.
William Patrick Weems, 35, pleaded not guilty Friday to one count each of residential burglary and first-degree attempted theft in Clallam County Superior Court.
Weems’ next court appearance is set Aug. 9. A preliminary jury trial date has been set for Sept. 9.
Weems remained in the Clallam County jail Tuesday in lieu of $10,000 bond.
Weems was the subject of a four-hour manhunt in the Agnew area east of Port Angeles on July 19 after a man matching his description was seen fleeing from an unoccupied rental home that had just been broken into.
Clallam County sheriff’s deputies arrested Weems at about 5 p.m. July 19 near Bagley Creek Road after he was spotted as the passenger of a truck driving west on U.S. Highway 101.
Police said the driver was not arrested because he did not seem to know Weems was wanted by law enforcement.
Deputy accounts
According to Sheriff’s Office accounts, deputies answered a 12:41 p.m. 9-1-1 call July 19 from a friend of the owner of an unoccupied house on Highway 101 between Dryke and Barr roads after the friend interrupted a burglary in progress at the house.
The friend noticed the house’s garage door had been opened and left ajar, and went inside to find a man putting about $8,000 worth of electronics and tools into a suitcase in the basement of the house.
The friend yelled at the intruder, who ran past the friend and out of the house before mounting a bicycle leaning against the house and riding west on Highway 101.
The 9-1-1 call triggered a search by deputies, assisted by State Patrol troopers, Border Patrol agents and a Coast Guard helicopter.
Later that day, a resident called 9-1-1 to report a man matching Weems’ description getting into a truck near Highway 101 and Lewis Road headed westbound on the highway.
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Reporter Jeremy Schwartz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jschwartz@peninsuladailynews.com.