Investigation into deadly Chenois Valley Road domestic violence, fire continues

By Dan Hammock • September 2, 2020 1:30 pm
COURTESY GRAYS HARBOR SHERIFF’S OFFICE A photo from the scene of the deadly domestic violence incident on Chenois Valley Road north of Hoquiam. The house was destroyed and a husband and wife were believed killed during the incident in which shots were fired between the husband and law enforcement.
COURTESY GRAYS HARBOR SHERIFF’S OFFICE A photo from the scene of the deadly domestic violence incident on Chenois Valley Road north of Hoquiam. The house was destroyed and a husband and wife were believed killed during the incident in which shots were fired between the husband and law enforcement.

The investigation into Monday’s deadly domestic violence incident and fire on Chenois Valley Road north of Hoquiam continues, but because the incident ended with law enforcement officers firing their weapons, the Mason County officials investigating say they are constrained by a provision in a citizens initiative regarding police and deadly force and can release no more information for now.

Initiative 940 passed in 2018 and requires independent investigations of the use of deadly force and includes a provision that no information about the investigation can be released before a citizen review.

As explained by Mason County Chief Criminal Deputy of Investigations Jason Dracobly, any information regarding the investigation requires “notifying the citizens that are attached” to the investigation. Wednesday the Sheriff’s Office was still putting together a list of those citizens, who are allowed time to review any information before it is released to media outlets.

In the wake of the initiative, a new section was added to the Washington Administrative Code early this year, WAC 139-12-30, stating a member of the incident investigation team must be assigned to keep the family “apprised of all significant developments in the independent investigation and will give the family and the involved agency advanced notice of all scheduled press releases.”

It is believed a husband and wife are dead after a fire leveled the Chenois Valley Road home early Tuesday morning, but Dracobly was unable to say if remains had been found Wednesday. He is hopeful more information will be available Thursday morning.

According to a statement Tuesday by Grays Harbor County Chief Criminal Deputy Brad Johansson, the incident began with a domestic violence call about 9:18 p.m. Monday. The couple’s 18-year-old son and an unrelated witness said the 56-year-old husband had taken a gun away from his 47-year-old wife and an argument ensued.

Johansson’s report indicates the son and father struggled over the gun and it discharged, striking the father in the chest and the son in the finger and leg. The son reported that after leaving the house he saw his father raising the gun and heard a gunshot. The wife’s 911 call ended at that time.

Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office, Hoquiam Police and State Patrol personnel all arrived on the scene and tried to get the husband to come out. The county’s regional crisis response unit was called in, and that unit’s negotiators tried to make contact with the husband, who also would not come out of the residence or tell them the status of his wife, according to Johansson’s statement.

After more than three hours of negotiations, explosions were heard from the front of the house and the man began firing from the front of the house. Two Grays Harbor deputies, three Aberdeen officers and two Hoquiam officers returned fire. All seven officers have been placed on administrative leave, standard when weapons are discharged.

Photos of the scene provided by Johansson show the home is a total loss and several burned vehicles adjacent. Social media commenters have said the 18-year-old son is with family.