Austin C. Courtright, in red, consults with his lawyer during his bail hearing.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – It may have been an accident, but it was also negligent so a charge of third-degree assault was filed against the Centralia resident whose pistol in his pocket discharged, striking his girlfriend in the leg, according to prosecutors.
Austin C. Courtright, 18, was arrested on Monday and brought before a judge yesterday afternoon in Lewis County Superior Court.
Judge Nelson Hunt set his bail at $25,000.
Centralia police learned of the incident very early on Monday morning when they were summoned to an Olympia hospital for the 21-year-old gunshot victim.
According to authorities, it happened in Centralia, but the victim and Courtright chose Providence St. Peter Hospital, hoping to avoid arrest for warrants.
Charging documents relate that they were in the basement of a house on First Street in Centralia, with at least two other people.
Kristina Bailey was sitting on Courtright’s lap, legs straddled and facing him, when the gun went off, hitting her in her inner right thigh, according to statements given to police.
Courtright said his hand was on the gun when it fired, but he thought it was unloaded because he had removed the bullets from the clip, according to the statements.
The group took her to someone else’s house and then to the hospital.
Police recovered the bullet, which fell out of her pants while they were in the car, according to court documents. Centralia detective Sgt. Pat Fitzgerald described the weapon as a small caliber handgun.
Bailey was treated and released from the hospital the same day.
Courtright told police he didn’t know what happened to the gun or other bullets, but thought maybe they fell out of his pocket between the house and the car, court documents relate. It hadn’t been located as of yesterday.
Courtright was also charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
He’s not allowed to possess firearms because of a felony conviction earlier this year for first-degree malicious mischief and juvenile convictions for second-degree escape and fourth-degree assault domestic violence, according to Deputy Prosecutor Sheila Weirth.
“The defendant said he knew he should not have the gun, but was afraid of being victimized by gang members who used to be his friends,” Weirth wrote in charging documents.
He also has a juvenile conviction from 2012 for second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
Prosecutors asked for much higher bail, citing a community safety risk, but defense attorney Joely O’Rourke asked for her client to be released as his mother, who was in the courtroom, was willing to co-sign a signature bond.
There was a hold on him from JRA, the state Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration, and he wanted to take care of that issue, O’Rourke said.
“It looks like he’s going to be serving about four months,” she said.
Judge Hunt said no, he didn’t want to take a chance on some other state agency taking the defendant away, and Lewis County not getting him back.
The offenses Courtright is charged with are class C felonies, with maximum penalties of five years in prison.
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For background, read “Police: Handgun in Centralia teen’s pocket accidentally fired, wounding girlfriend” from Monday November 30, 2015, here
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