Man faces loss of leg after brutal assault in Everett

Jim Dulaney and his wife, Sheila Dulaney

Jim Dulaney and his wife, Sheila Dulaney

EVERETT — He has the calloused hands and muscular forearms of someone who works hard for his living.

Around town, he’s known as Jim the Fence Guy, having built a bunch of them over the years.

Four decades after high school, Jim Dulaney reunites each year with childhood chums to surf in Southern California.

At 58, he was chasing a soccer ball with little kids at a graduation party a couple of weeks back.

Dulaney won’t be doing those things any time soon.

The hope is he’ll someday get that chance again.

Doctors are trying to save his left foot and lower leg after an assault earlier this week off Evergreen Way in Everett. Dulaney on Thursday was scheduled to undergo his third surgery in five days.

“He is the person who tries to do the right thing for other people,” said Brandon Pasowicz, Dulaney’s godson.

In fact, he was doing a favor when he was hurt shortly after 6 a.m. Sunday. Dulaney was checking on a friend’s building when he spotted a man dumping trash in a parking lot and went to investigate.

The suspect reportedly chased after Dulaney with a metal pipe, police said.

The man then returned to his pickup and allegedly ran over Dulaney’s lower leg and smashed into another car. Dulaney reportedly was dragged about 30 feet before the suspect drove away in a Chevy Avalanche.

Mukilteo police found a burning pickup matching the description of the Avalanche later that day.

Back in Everett, detectives found personal paperwork for a possible suspect in the items left behind, police reported Thursday.

A suspect was arrested for investigation of stealing a car and vehicle prowl that same day in an unrelated incident. The Bothell man, 42, posted bail on those allegations. Everett police arrested him on Thursday for investigation of assault and hit and run injury after developing probable cause.

Dulaney suffered a compound fracture as well as broken ribs. He was taken to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett. On Sunday, he faced hours of surgery.

An orthopedic surgeon installed a titanium rod in his leg to put the bone back together. He then faced hours of vascular surgery. “The back of his leg across the calf muscle was basically cut in half,” family and friends posted on social media.

Pasowicz said Dulaney is someone who can make people laugh with gentle humor.

He remembers strangers approaching his godfather on a beach in Hawaii to get their picture taken with him just because of his fun-loving ways.

Family and friends describe Dulaney as an honest, hard-working man with a long road to recovery.

A gofundme account has been set up to help with expenses. As of Thursday, 90 contributions, many from strangers, had been made. It can be found at www.gofundme.com/Jimthefenceguy.

Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446; stevick@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Traffic idles while waiting for the lights to change along 33rd Avenue West on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood seeks solutions to Costco traffic boondoggle

Let’s take a look at the troublesome intersection of 33rd Avenue W and 30th Place W, as Lynnwood weighs options for better traffic flow.

A memorial with small gifts surrounded a utility pole with a photograph of Ariel Garcia at the corner of Alpine Drive and Vesper Drive ion Wednesday, April 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Death of Everett boy, 4, spurs questions over lack of Amber Alert

Local police and court authorities were reluctant to address some key questions, when asked by a Daily Herald reporter this week.

The new Amazon fulfillment center under construction along 172nd Street NE in Arlington, just south of Arlington Municipal Airport. (Chuck Taylor / The Herald) 20210708
Frito-Lay leases massive building at Marysville business park

The company will move next door to Tesla and occupy a 300,0000-square-foot building at the Marysville business park.

The oldest known meteor shower, Lyrid, will be falling across the skies in mid- to late April 2024. (Photo courtesy of Pixabay)
Clouds to dampen Lyrid meteor shower views in Western Washington

Forecasters expect a storm will obstruct peak viewing Sunday. Locals’ best chance at viewing could be on the coast. Or east.

Everett police officers on the scene of a single-vehicle collision on Evergreen Way and Olivia Park Road Wednesday, July 5, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Photo provided by Everett Police Department)
Everett man gets 3 years for driving high on fentanyl, killing passenger

In July, Hunter Gidney crashed into a traffic pole on Evergreen Way. A passenger, Drew Hallam, died at the scene.

FILE - Then-Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., speaks on Nov. 6, 2018, at a Republican party election night gathering in Issaquah, Wash. Reichert filed campaign paperwork with the state Public Disclosure Commission on Friday, June 30, 2023, to run as a Republican candidate. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
6 storylines to watch with Washington GOP convention this weekend

Purist or pragmatist? That may be the biggest question as Republicans decide who to endorse in the upcoming elections.

Keyshawn Whitehorse moves with the bull Tijuana Two-Step to stay on during PBR Everett at Angel of the Winds Arena on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
PBR bull riders kick up dirt in Everett Stampede headliner

Angel of the Winds Arena played host to the first night of the PBR’s two-day competition in Everett, part of a new weeklong event.

Simreet Dhaliwal speaks after winning during the 2024 Snohomish County Emerging Leaders Awards Presentation on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Simreet Dhaliwal wins The Herald’s 2024 Emerging Leaders Award

Dhaliwal, an economic development and tourism specialist, was one of 12 finalists for the award celebrating young leaders in Snohomish County.

In this Jan. 12, 2018 photo, Ben Garrison, of Puyallup, Wash., wears his Kel-Tec RDB gun, and several magazines of ammunition, during a gun rights rally at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
With gun reform law in limbo, Edmonds rep is ‘confident’ it will prevail

Despite a two-hour legal period last week, the high-capacity ammunition magazine ban remains in place.

Everett Fire Department and Everett Police on scene of a multiple vehicle collision with injuries in the 1400 block of 41st Street. (Photo provided by Everett Fire Department)
1 in critical condition after crash with box truck, semi in Everett

Police closed 41st Street between Rucker and Colby avenues on Wednesday afternoon, right before rush hour.

The Arlington Public Schools Administration Building is pictured on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Arlington, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
$2.5M deficit in Arlington schools could mean dozens of cut positions

The state funding model and inflation have led to Arlington’s money problems, school finance director Gina Zeutenhorst said Tuesday.

Lily Gladstone poses at the premiere of the Hulu miniseries "Under the Bridge" at the DGA Theatre, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Mountlake Terrace’s Lily Gladstone plays cop in Hulu’s ‘Under the Bridge’

The true-crime drama started streaming Wednesday. It’s Gladstone’s first part since her star turn in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.