A 27-year-old man was charged Tuesday with assaulting his girlfriend Sunday on Interstate 5 in DuPont and authorities say items found during his arrest indicate he might be responsible for burglaries in the area.
Justin Wasson was charged with third-degree malicious mischief, first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and violation of a court order.
Pierce County prosecutors allege he violated a no-contact order his girlfriend obtained Jan. 5 and was not allowed to have a gun because of prior burglary convictions.
Wasson’s 37-year-old girlfriend called 911 Sunday night to report Wasson had assaulted her while the couple was parked at Fort Lewis Golf Course.
Charging documents give this account:
The woman was asleep when Wasson woke her up and accused her of cheating on him. During the argument, he hit her on the head and in the side but stopped when another vehicle approached them.
Wasson then drove across the Mounts Road overpass, got out of the car and began walking along the road. His girlfriend called 911 and followed him in the car.
While she was on the phone with dispatchers, Wasson struck the car, breaking the side mirror and denting the vehicle’s body. He then got back inside the car and took his backpack, his girlfriend’s cellphone and a .40-caliber Ruger pistol that was in the center console.
Washington State Patrol troopers arrested Wasson after a K-9 team found him hiding in bushes nearby. In his backpack were a collapsible baton, rubber face mask, knife and two cellphones.
The gun was found Monday after Wasson admitted tossing it over a fence, according to the State Patrol.
Trooper Guy Gill said the items found in Wasson’s backpack often are used in burglaries and robberies.
“At this point, we don’t know if he has committed any other crimes with these items or if another agency is investigating anything he might have been involved in,” Gill said.
Stacia Glenn: 253-597-8653stacia.glenn@thenewstribune.com
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