Man sentenced to more than 8 years for botched burglary

Published 8:17 pm Tuesday, August 3, 2010

EVERETT — A botched burglary that left an Irishman hog-tied and beaten also has landed him behind prison walls.

Christopher Miskelly, 25, was sentenced Monday to nearly 8 1/2 years for a break-in at a Monroe house. Miskelly, an Irish citizen, is expected to be deported once he is released from prison.

Miskelly admitted to police that he was looking to make a quick buck when he broke into Roger and Donna Angevine’s house in 2008. He was armed with a stolen handgun and a baseball bat. Miskelly also brought along duct tape, plastic ties, nylon rope and a camouflage mask.

He wasn’t prepared for the Angevines.

The couple awoke to Miskelly standing over their bed with a flashlight. He ordered them to the ground and threw a backpack at them and demanded they fill the bag with cash.

Miskelly then struck Donna Angevine in the face with a flashlight. Her husband swung into action. He lunged at the burglar.

The impact sent Miskelly into a wall. The two men wrestled.

Donna Angevine removed the burglar’s gun and then began hitting Miskelly with his own baseball bat. The couple hog-tied Miskelly with belts and kept him subdued until police arrived.

Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies found him lying on the couple’s bedroom floor. Donna Angevine was holding him down. Miskelly was bleeding.

He was arrested after he was treated at a hospital for head injuries.

Miskelly last month pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary with a firearm, second-degree assault and possession of a stolen firearm.

Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Larry McKeeman gave Miskelly a high-end sentence.

Donna Angevine spoke at Monday’s hearing.

“Roger and I know without a shadow of a doubt that we can count on each other with our lives and that together we are an invincible team,” she said.

Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463, hefley@heraldnet.com.