Local

Police: Man shattered windows on home, car because he was ‘trying to get home'

SEATTLE — An Everett man was jailed last month, accused of shattering windows with rocks and causing thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.

On July 27, Seattle police were called to the 12000 block of Fifth Avenue Northeast for a report of a burglary in progress.

When an officer arrived, two witnesses pointed at a man walking down the street and told the officer the man was the suspect. The officer detained the suspect while he spoke to witnesses.

One witness told the officer he had seen the man, later identified as 28-year-old Joseph Frederick Lewis of Everett, throwing rocks at a home and a car parked in its driveway, charging documents said.

The witness said the suspect broke the back window of the car with a rock, smashed its front windshield with a broom and shattered the home's windows with rocks.

The officer then spoke with the occupants of the home.  A woman said she and her brother were sitting in the living room when they heard a crashing sound and saw Lewis standing on their front patio throwing rocks through the windows of their house and car, according to court documents.

The woman said she feared Lewis was going to break into the home and called 911.

Another man who lived in the home said he was in his bedroom when a rock the size of a softball came crashing through the window.  Police said the rock narrowly missed the man, but the breaking glass cut his right elbow.

Police said the damage to the home’s double-pane windows and shattered car windows was estimated to be more than $5,000.

Lewis was arrested.  According to probable cause documents:

When asked if he had thrown rocks at a house he stated that he had and that he was sorry. When asked why, he stated because he was trying to get home. When asked where he lived he stated "Marysville." Then asked what city he was currently in and he stated Seattle. He was asked how breaking windows in Seattle would get him home to Marysville he seemed confused and stated "yes."

Lewis was charged with second-degree malicious mischief on July 31.

More news from KIRO 7

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE NEWS APP