Chehalis resident Dennis P. Kelly listens to his proceedings in Lewis County Superior Court.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The Chehalis man who was cut repeatedly with a knife allegedly wielded by a neighbor on Tuesday night told police he didn’t really know what prompted the attack, according to court documents.
Wayne Reed, 44, was sitting down yelling for help when police arrived about 10:40 p.m. into his Southwest McFadden Avenue house.
Charging documents indicate he had a very large, deep laceration on his upper left arm as well as cuts on his neck, back and upper arm.
Friends he’d invited over told police 57-year-old Dennis P. Kelly who lived across the street was their suspect.
Kelly was arrested at his home that night and charged yesterday with first-degree assault.
Reed was expected to be released from Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center yesterday, according to Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher.
Kelly went before a Lewis County Superior Court judge yesterday afternoon who set bail at $50,000.
Meagher had asked for $100,000 saying there didn’t seem to be a lot of reason for the assault.
Kelly’s family had said Kelly had mental health issues and recently changed medications, Meagher told the judge. Meagher was also concerned about lots of firearms and ammunition Kelly stored in his house.
Judge James Lawler ordered Kelly to posses no firearms, consume no alcohol and not to get within 100 yards of the victim’s home if or when he bails out of jail.
Kelly could stay at his grown child’s Chehalis home – as his own house is close to the victim’s – defense attorney Bob Schroeter told the judge at the brief hearing.
Kelly lost his job at the Bradken-Atlas foundry in the industrial park a couple months ago and collects unemployment, according to Schroeter.
His only past interaction with the law was a deferred prosecution for a DUI in 1993, Schroeter said.
“Whatever happened, if it did involve alcohol use by my client is tragic and an anomaly,” Schroeter told the judge.
Charging documents, lawyers and police describe Tuesday night as one in which Reed had three or four of his male friends over, including his neighbor Kelly who he said he barely knew.
The two had some drinks and got into an argument, according to charging documents which offer the following account:
Reed told police he doesn’t know what he said, but all of the sudden Kelly attacked him. The pair wrestled and then Kelly started cutting him, saying he would kill him.
Chehalis police yesterday searched Kelly’s home, looking for one of two Spiderco brand knives Kelly said he used.
After opening his safe, they found the knives, as well as nearly two dozen firearms, including assault riffles, shotguns and an AK47, along with thousands of rounds of ammunition, reloading equipment and “pounds” of gun powder, according to charging documents.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter