PORT ANGELES — A Marysville man has been charged with the alleged assault of a Clallam County sheriff’s deputy.
Conner B. McGibney, 25, was charged Monday with third-degree assault of a law enforcement officer, attempting to disarm an officer and possession of methamphetamine after a Sunday altercation with Deputy Eric Morris and Sgt. Amy Bundy north of Sequim. The Sheriff’s Office alleged that McGibney punched Morris in the face and took hold of the lawman’s holstered handgun during a struggle on the ground.
McGibney released his grip on the weapon when Bundy shocked him with a stun gun, said Chief Criminal Deputy Brian King.
McGibney, who was armed with a pocket knife, continued to resist arrest until Sequim Police Officer Randy Kellas arrived and helped the county officers place him into handcuffs, King said. Morris sustained several contusions and was diagnosed with a minor concussion, King said in a Thursday email. He was cleared for full duty and has not missed any work, King said. Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden set McGibney’s bail at a $50,000 Monday. McGibney is scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. today.
McGibney was reportedly looking into back yards of residences in the area of Sequim-Dungeness Way and Medsker Road at about 8:25 p.m. Sunday, King said.
Morris and Bundy spotted McGibney walking northbound on Sequim-Dungeness Way at 8:33 p.m. McGibney failed to comply with Morris’ commands to stop and continued to walk northbound, ignoring the deputies, King said.
“As deputies attempted to explain why they needed to speak with him, McGibney began to reach into his pocket,” King said in a press release. “As McGibney reached into his pocket, Deputy Morris observed a distinct bulge in the pocket and told McGibney to keep his hands out of his pockets. “While doing so, Deputy Morris took hold of McGibney’s wrist as his hand slid into his pant pocket,” King added.
“McGibney pulled away and began punching Deputy Morris in the face,” he said.
Morris said he was struck with at least two “haymaker” punches before he wrapped his arms around McGibney’s torso and performed a takedown.
“I physically lifted McGibney off the ground until I could gain my balance and ‘body slammed’ him to the ground as I forcefully fell onto McGibney,” Morris said in the affidavit for probable cause.
Morris said he continued to grapple with McGibney, attempting to gain control of his arms. Morris and Bundy repeatedly ordered McGibney to stop resisting. McGibney is 6-foot-5 and weighs 180 pounds, court papers show.
“During the altercation, which lasted several minutes, McGibney took hold of Deputy Morris’ holstered handgun and firmly gripped the firearm’s handgrip,” King said. “With great force, McGibney began pulling on the firearm, attempting to remove it from the holster.”
Bundy applied several Taser applications to McGibney’s lower back and thigh, causing the suspect to release his grip on the firearm.
McGibney remained combative and continued to resist until Kellas arrived to help deputies overpower McGibney and place him into handcuffs, King said. Basden signed an order for McGibney to have his competency evaluated at Western State Hospital.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.