EVERETT — A Snohomish man who could face life in prison pleaded not guilty to assault Monday in Snohomish County Superior Court.
A judge maintained bail at $500,000 for William “Billy” Mulholland, 50.
Mulholland once beat a life sentence under the state’s Three Strikes law when a previous assault conviction was overturned. He later pleaded guilty to federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
“This will be his fourth strike,” Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Janice Albert told the court. “Technically this will be his third strike again. He is looking at life.”
Mulholland is accused of using his pickup to force another car into oncoming traffic.
Prosecutors allege he tried to force a car driven by Monroe woman off of U.S. 2 on Jan. 20. The mother reported she had a passenger in the front seat and two small children, ages 1 and 4, in the back when a stranger in a pickup tried to run her Honda Civic off the road several times. She also said the driver forced her car over the center line and into on-coming traffic.
Deputies allege Mulholland was the driver of the pickup.
Mulholland reportedly told them he was being followed by the Honda and two other cars. He claimed that the people in the other cars were part of a motorcycle gang that wanted to kill him. He also claimed that they’d shot at him twice. Deputies found no evidence of shots being fired.
A deputy’s written description of the incident also indicated Mulholland has been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. He made similar statements to mental health officials about people following him home and trying to kill him, court papers said.
His trial was set for April 4.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446; stevick@heraldnet.com.
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