EVERETT — A Snohomish teen reportedly hoped to goad a rival into agreeing to a fight.
Instead, his alleged methods have landed the 17-year-old in adult court where he is charged with three felonies, including assault, arson and drive-by shooting.
Hayden Cross Baus was charged Tuesday in Snohomish County Superior Court. He pleaded not guilty at a brief hearing Wednesday, and his bail was set at $100,000.
The allegations stem from a pair of attacks at a Snohomish home in less than 24 hours last week, deputy prosecutor Matt Hunter said in court papers.
Early July 6, somebody set a car ablaze outside a young man’s home. A window was broken and lit “mortar” fireworks were dropped inside.
Before the next day began, somebody sprayed the address with gunfire. Bullets also struck a neighboring house.
While nobody was hit, slugs punched into homes, and “at least one hole in the neighboring house was only a few feet from an occupied crib,” Hunter said.
The violence reportedly was part of an ongoing “beef” Baus had with the teen who drives the car that was lit ablaze.
The defendant allegedly had sent multiple social media messages after the car fire, allegedly claiming responsibility and taunting the other young man because he wouldn’t “link,” a term that some reportedly use to mean agreeing to a fight, the prosecutor wrote.
Because of the social media activity, Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies already had set up surveillance at Baus’ home and were seeking a judge’s permission for a search warrant when the gunfire erupted.
About five minutes after the bullets flew, the deputies converged on a car that pulled up at the defendant’s home. Baus reportedly was up front, on the passenger side.
An AR-15-style rifle, a 9mm handgun, spent bullet casings and mortar fireworks were found inside, Hunter wrote.
There were four others in the vehicle, all males ages 17 and 18 and from Snohomish and Everett.
Some of them reportedly told investigators that Baus had shot out the window with the 9mm handgun while another teen fired the rifle.
“The defendant chose not to speak with police but when advised he was being booked for first-degree assault, he volunteered the question, ‘Did I hit anybody?’ ” Hunter said in court papers.
The case against Baus is being handled in adult court based on the seriousness of the allegations.
Trial is scheduled for Sept. 1.
If convicted as charged, the teen could face more than 14 years in prison.
Eric Stevick contributed to this story.
Scott North: 425-339-3431; north@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @snorthnews.
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