LAKE STEVENS – A Lake Stevens grandma is terrified to return home.
She is afraid the stranger who broke into her condominium while she slept and lunged at her with a knife will return.
“She suffers from anxiety, screams in the middle of the night and sleeps with the lights on,” the woman’s daughter said. “He took her sense of security in a matter of minutes.”
Levi James Ramsey, 21, was arrested early Saturday for investigation of first-degree assault and first-degree burglary.
Ramsey on Monday appeared in Everett District Court, where a prosecutor requested that bail be increased because of the seriousness of the allegations. A judge doubled the bail to $100,000.
Ramsey also is being investigated in connection with a number of other residential burglaries earlier in the day. After his arrest police found what they believe is stolen property in his vehicle, Lake Stevens Police Chief Randy Celori said.
The Herald is not naming the woman or her daughter to protect their identities.
The woman, 55, was awakened by breaking glass about 2 a.m. The woman told police she got out of bed to call 911 and saw a man standing in the hall.
The man lunged at the woman with a large butcher knife and was yelling “The Aryan Nation and Levi are coming to get you,” according to a police affidavit. The man allegedly cut the woman on the thumb, according to court records.
“She kept her eyes focused on the knife. She was afraid he was going to stab her,” the woman’s daughter said. “My mom was scared for her life.”
The woman was able to ease her way to the front door. She fled with a neighbor who had rushed upstairs to help the woman.
“He is a hero in our eyes and we’ll forever be in debt to him,” the woman’s daughter said.
The suspect jumped over the second-story balcony. He didn’t get far.
Neighbors had heard the breaking glass and called police.
Officers arrived in less than a minute and found Ramsey walking out of the bushes, Celori said. He reportedly didn’t cooperate with police and officers used a stun gun to subdue him. He was bleeding from the hand and was intoxicated, Celori said.
Police found the butcher knife stuck in wall in the woman’s condo.
Ramsey allegedly told officers he was at the home to repossess a television, according to court records.
Ramsey and the victim are both white, and police don’t believe the crime was racially motivated.
Ramsey’s relatives live in the same condominium complex. It wasn’t clear whether he mistook the woman’s condominium for his relative’s, Celori said.
“He was really intoxicated so it’s unknown if he confused condos or was there to burglarize it,” the chief said.
Ramsey has a 2005 burglary conviction as well as numerous juvenile convictions, including theft and being intoxicated in public, according to court records.
The woman’s daughter said her family is afraid Ramsey will get out of jail and cause more harm.
“You think she’ll be safe on the second level,” her daughter said. “Now, she’s doesn’t want to go home. She’s afraid he’ll remember where she lives and come back. We just want him locked up.”
Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.
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