SNOHOMISH — A boy allegedly beaten by his stepfather told police he knew something bad was going to happen when the man called him to the garage.
The boy, 14, put his hands on a table and “assumed the position,” as his stepfather struck him with a wooden stick, court documents said. The boy was left with welts on his back and fist-size bruises on his buttocks. He ran to a neighbor’s house for help.
Prosecutors charged Anthony Collins, 41, with third-degree domestic violence assault for the June 19 incident. Collins is accused of beating the boy after the man learned the teen had gotten D’s and F’s on his report card and was late coming home from school, court documents show.
The boy told investigators he was first spanked by his mother with a wooden rod. The teen explained that the spanking was reasonable and didn’t leave any marks on him, prosecutors wrote. The boy was sent out to pull weeds. When Collins came home from work, he allegedly demanded the boy come into the garage. The assault lasted for several minutes, according to the boy.
The teen tried to run out of the garage but Collins allegedly tripped him and then put his hands around the boy’s throat, prosecutors wrote. After the beating, Collins told the boy to go back to pulling weeds.
Instead, he ran to a friend’s house for help.
Collins allegedly told investigators the boy tried to strike him during the “spanking,” and while the two struggled a piece of plywood fell on the teen. Collins later told police the spanking was harsh, prosecutors wrote.
Police found the stick broken into three pieces.
Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.
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