Tacoma council candidate Hill a busy man with a long rap sheet

Thursday was supposed to be a busy day for Tacoma City Council candidate Robert Hill.

At 10 a.m., he was set to be arraigned on assault and weapon charges in Tacoma Municipal Court.

At 1 p.m., he planned to swing by a League of Women Voters meeting, before attending a Pierce County District Court hearing to respond to a woman’s petition for an anti-harassment order against him.

At 3 p.m., he had a status hearing set for a third court case in South Tacoma.

“Then there’s the joint (council) public safety committee meeting at 4:30,” Hill said. “So, that’s the public schedule of candidate Robert Hill for Thursday.”

But, as is usually the case with the man who goes by the self-styled nickname, “The Traveller,” things rarely go by the book.

At half past 10, when two deputies handcuffed Hill and led him from a city courtroom bound for the county jail, the candidate’s schedule was officially blown for the day.

Moments earlier, city prosecutor Eric Furer argued Hill’s bail should be increased for the two counts of assault and one count of possession of an illegal weapon he faces. Furer also contended Hill should be locked up until he posted bond.

“There’s somewhat of an escalation of behavior,” Furer told the judge.

Hill has a long rap sheet with five convictions in 2010 alone, Furer noted. That includes a conviction in Seattle for stalking a porn star that drew a four-month jail term – a sentence Hill so far has avoided, pending appeal.

Judge Pro Tem Randy Hansen agreed, upping Hill’s bail by $11,400 to $15,000, and ordering he be taken into custody immediately.

Wearing a navy blue blazer and a tangle of lanyards dangling cards, a flash-drive and a whistle from his neck, Hill donned a black sailor’s cap before assuming the position for his arrest. Then, he went quietly from the courtroom.

The charges Hill faced Thursday stem from an Aug. 25 incident at a rental house on South Tyler Street, where he had leased an office for his campaign for the seat held by incumbent Lauren Walker.

Prosecutors allege Hill pepper-sprayed a man and a woman at the home. During his subsequent arrest, police allegedly found an illegal stun gun at his home.

Hill has claimed he acted in self-defense, after a fellow tenant blocked his access and threatened him.

“The people I temporarily caused discomfort to with the pepper spray, they were bothering me,” Hill said.

The incident is among a string that has landed Hill in and out of court, jail and trouble in recent weeks.

On Aug. 24, police arrested Hill at a council committee meeting for violating a no-contact order against Sherry Bockwinkel, a co-petitioner of a city ballot initiative to minimize marijuana prosecutions. Among other claims, Bockwinkel alleges Hill hacked into the campaign’s website and distributed unsolicited robo-calls on its behalf, providing false information about the measure.

A week ago, police also ejected Hill from a Tacoma Rainiers’ game; the city has since temporarily banned him from the stadium.

Hill dismisses all of the incidents as “baseless attacks on my reputation.”

In the past, some observers have described Hill as more pesky performance artist than serious threat. His provocative antics have included attending public meetings in a variety of costumes. He’s at times sang from the podium, waved signs promoting masturbation and exposed himself to at least one council member.

But some don’t agree that Hill is a mostly harmless eccentric.

“He’s spinning more and more out of control,” Bockwinkel said.

State court records show at least 75 court cases in more than a dozen jurisdictions involving Hill since 1997. In District Court alone, Hill has eight active anti-harassment cases. Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson and U.S. Congressman Norm Dicks are among those who have garnered protection orders.

“We’ve experienced his antics for a long time,” said George Behan, Dicks’ chief of staff. “But obviously after the (U.S. Rep. Gabrielle) Giffords’ incident, the Capitol police have been concerned we don’t ignore any potential threats.”

In the official voters’ pamphlet, a professional head shot of Hill accompanies a sensible candidate’s statement offering concerns about the city’s budget and constituent access.

“She is not the best person for the job,” Hill recently said of his opponent. “And I know I can do it.”

But for most of Thursday, his campaign was on hold. In an afternoon phone call from jail, Hill said he expected post bond by evening.

“It’s just an inconvenience to my schedule,” he added. “I’ve just lost half a day – and I’ve got stuff to do.”

Lewis Kamb: 253-597-8542

lewis.kamb@thenewstribune.com