Two of three suspects sought in Port Angeles dragnet arrested

Matthew T. Charles

Matthew T. Charles

PORT ANGELES — Two burglary suspects linked to a police chase and massive manhunt southwest of town Sunday are now in jail.

Matthew Tyler Charles, 27, was booked into the Clallam County jail Sunday night for investigation of first-degree burglary, two counts of theft of a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Roxanne Rae Venske, 24, was arrested for investigation of first-degree burglary and eluding a police vehicle.

She also was wanted on a pay-or-appear warrant that is apparently unrelated.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Clallam County Undersheriff Ron Peregrin said Charles and Venske were arrested at about 9:30 p.m. Sunday about a half-mile from a law enforcement command post on Dan Kelly Road.

“They were together when they were arrested,” Peregrin said.

A third suspect, described as a “skinny white male,” remained at large Monday morning.

Peregrin said the third suspect likely was outside of the containment area in which Charles and Venske were found.

“The manhunt part of the event was shut down,” he said.

Clallam County Superior Court Judge S. Brooke Taylor set bail at $250,000 for Charles and $15,000 for Venske in their initial court appearances Monday afternoon.

Authorities continue to investigate the burglary of several firearms at a Cherry Street residence, which the property owner interrupted Sunday morning.

Dean Langdon, 39, of Port Angeles, came home at about 9:30 a.m. to find two men who he said looked to be about 20 to 25 years old burglarizing a rental property he owned.

Langdon said he was returning from a morning softball game when he saw the two men in hooded sweatshirts approach a rental house he owns on Cherry Street, then disappear, he said.

As he walked toward the residence, Langdon heard the men talking and phoned 9-1-1.

After being confronted by Langdon, the two suspects ran south on Cherry Street and jumped into a red or burgundy Pontiac Grand Prix driven by a woman came out of an alley between 11th and 12th streets, Langdon said.

The suspects avoided a spike strip laid down to try to stop the fleeing suspects, and abandoned the car near the end of Colville Road before taking to the woods in unincorporated area south of state Highway 112 and west of the Elwha River.

The Port Angeles Police Department, Sequim Police Department, State Patrol, Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, Lower Elwha Police Department and U.S. Border Patrol set up a command post at the intersection of Colville and Dan Kelly roads.

Two Border Patrol helicopters searched the area, and at 2:15 p.m. two tracking dogs and several teams of tactical trackers in camouflage uniforms, carrying assault weapons were deployed to the search area.

Clallam County Fire District 2 provided emergency medical services.

No officers were injured, Fire District 2 Chief Sam Phillips said.

Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.

Reporter Arwyn Rice contributed to this report.

More in News

Supreme Court says no to recall reconsider

Sequim man found liable for legal fees

Chimacum Ridge seeks board members

Members to write policy, balance values, chair says

Fire destroys shop east of Port Angeles

A fire on Hickory Street east of Port Angeles… Continue reading

Jefferson Transit Authority to expand Kingston Express route

Jefferson Transit Authority has announced expanded service on its… Continue reading

From left to right, Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding students Krystol Pasecznyk and Scott McNair sand a Prothero Sloop with Sean Koomen, the school’s boat building program director. Koomen said the sanding would take one person a few days. He said the plan is to have 12 people sand it together, which will take a few hours. (Elijah Sussman/Peninsula Daily News)
Wooden boatbuilding school building ‘Twin Boats’

Students using traditional and cold-moulding construction techniques

Prevailing wage by trade across multiple counties in Washington state.
Prevailing wages are driving up housing

Administrative burden may decrease competition

North Olympic Library System
Rendering of the new Sequim Library, which is currently under construction.
Library system board recognizes top donors

Naming opportunities still available

Port of Port Angeles approves roof rehab projects

McKinley Paper Company moves out of Marine Drive warehouse

Drug takeback day set across Peninsula on Saturday

Law enforcement agencies across the North Olympic Peninsula are poised to take… Continue reading

Public meeting set to meet administrator candidates

Jefferson County will host a public meeting at 5… Continue reading

Interfund loan to pay for Port Townsend meter replacement

City will repay over four years; work likely this winter

Artists to create murals for festival

Five pieces of art to be commissioned for downtown Port Angeles