EVERETT — An argument about littering that led to a terrifying encounter that could cost an Everett man his lower left leg wasn’t the first time assault suspect Joshua Painter has been accused of illegally dumping trash.
Police believe the Bothell man was discarding trash from his pickup shortly after 6 a.m. Sunday when he allegedly attacked an Everett man, first chasing him with a metal pipe and then dragging him across a parking lot with his pickup truck.
A month earlier, Bothell police knocked on Painter’s door after an illegal-dumping complaint at Bothell High School. Painter denied knowing anything about it.
There had been prior complaints, according to court papers.
Bail for Painter was set at $500,000 on Friday in Everett District Court on assault and hit-and-run allegations.
In asking for a high bail, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Toni Montgomery called Painter “an extreme danger.”
Public defender Robert O’Neal reserved the right to argue the bail amount at a later hearing.
“This is largely circumstantial evidence,” he said of the allegations against Painter.
Jim Dulaney, 58, was at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett, where doctors tried to save his foot and lower-left leg. He underwent his third surgery on Thursday.
On Sunday, Dulaney was checking on a friend’s property in the 9800 block of Evergreen Way when he saw a man leaving trash beside a tree and told him he would need to clean it up.
That led to an argument, and Painter allegedly grabbed a metal pipe from a Chevy Avalanche pickup and ran toward Dulaney. The suspect fell and dropped the pipe, which Dulaney picked up.
That’s when Painter returned to his pickup and allegedly drove at Dulaney who ran toward some nearby parked cars.
“The escape attempt was unsuccessful and the Avalanche ran over Dulaney and collided with a parked blue Acura,” police wrote in a probable cause affidavit.
Dulaney told police he got caught under the engine’s oil pan. The pickup backed up and dragged Dulaney along the ground toward the Evergreen Way sidewalk.
The pickup drove off after Dulaney got loose.
Police that morning found paperwork and a suitcase at the base of a tree along the parking lot. It included mail and a vehicle ownership application with Painter listed as the registered owner. There also was a parking infraction for the Chevy Avalanche.
Around 7:15 a.m. Sunday, about an hour after the confrontation in Everett, Mukilteo firefighters were called to 10700 36th Place W for a fire. They found a burning bag of paperwork that included letters for Painter.
Around 2:45 p.m. that day, Mukilteo firefighters were called to a vehicle fire in the 11700 block of Cyrus Way. There they found a black Avalanche on fire. It matched the description of the pickup belonging to Painter.
Nearby was a motorhome that had been broken into, and a key to a van had been stolen from inside. The van was missing.
A sheriff’s deputy allegedly saw Painter in the van and another witness identified the suspect as fleeing from the van earlier in the evening.
On Thursday, Painter was arrested by Bothell police and turned over to an Everett detective.
“He confirmed that he was at the parking lot where the collision occurred and he had a confrontation with a male,” court papers said. “He did not remember anything other than leaving the parking lot” driving the Avalanche.
Dulaney faces a long recovery. A gofundme account has been set up to help with expenses. It can be found at www.gofundme.com/Jimthefenceguy.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.
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