Man, 18, dies after street brawl; two arrested

Published 5:44 pm Friday, December 14, 2007

LYNNWOOD

Lisa Henderson said she and her husband are afraid to venture outside at night because they don’t feel safe in their neighborhood.

“We know what’s in our little neighborhood but we don’t usually stray too far,” said Henderson, who was inside her condominium near the intersection of 156th Street Southwest and Admiralty Way late Thursday, Dec. 6, when 18-year-old James Carlberg was stabbed to death during a street brawl.

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Police believe a 15-year-old boy struck Carlberg in the head with a pool cue before Dustin Powell, 20, allegedly stabbed him in the chest with a switchblade knife, according to court documents.

Powell and the boy were jailed the next day for investigation of second-degree murder.

Medics rushed the stabbed teen to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he died the same night, said Rebecca Hover, Snohomish County sheriff’s spokeswoman.

According to a police affidavit, bullying may have led to the brawl.

The younger boy allegedly told Powell he was tired of being picked on by Carlberg, court documents said. The 15-year-old shared a rented rambler in the 15400 block of Admiralty Way with the victim and the victim’s girlfriend.

Powell visited the rambler Dec. 6 and tensions escalated shortly thereafter.

Carlberg, his girlfriend and another teen left home followed by Powell, who documents say was intent on “beating up” the accused bully.

At about 7:15 p.m., near the corner of 156th Street Southwest and Admiralty Way, a fight broke out, police say.

Powell allegedly hit the victim in the head with his fist and Carlberg retaliated by pulling Powell’s jacket hood over his face and punching him.

After the 15-year-old hit the victim with a pool cue, the slain teen’s girlfriend allegedly pulled out a butcher knife and threatened the boy. Powell then allegedly pulled out the switchblade and stabbed the victim in the chest as he was looking away, the documents said.

Powell later reportedly told police he attacked Carlberg because he doesn’t believe in hurting girls. He also told police he knew what he did was wrong and that he is “crazy,” documents said.

Malcolm Fassbender, who lives across the street from Henderson at the intersection of 156th Street Southwest and Admiralty Way, said neighbors have been concerned about crime in the neighborhood for some time. He said they routinely see drug dealing and other illegal activity.

“There’s no street lights out here and there’s regular street racing,” he said. “There’s this constant background noise and petty vandalism.”