A 16-year-old boy was sentenced Thursday to more than a year in a juvenile institution for his involvement in an escape attempt from the Clark County Detention Center.
Daniel Robert Coffman of Washougal pleaded guilty to second-degree accomplice to assault, stemming from an incident on Saturday.
Coffman and Roy James Thompson Jr., 15, are accused of teaming up to attack a staff member at the center in an attempt to escape. Both had been in custody in connection with other felonies. Coffman was reportedly being held on the juvenile equivalent of a probation violation after he recently pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary.
The two teens were escorted by a handful of detention officers into juvenile court Thursday. Both wore shackles around their wrists and ankles.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed in juvenile court, Thompson allegedly hit a detention officer, Scott Campbell, with a chair. A witness, Maria Campbell, said she then saw Coffman try to break out a window with another chair.
Both boys allegedly admitted to planning the assault and escape earlier in the day, the report said.
Deputy Prosecutor Rick Olson said Scott Campbell was hit in the head and back with a heavy, metal chair. He is out on medical leave and will return to work next week.
During Coffman’s hearing, Olson said he is still perplexed by the attack.
“I’ve never thought Daniel was a violent individual,” he said. “It’s just incredible to me that he’d participate in this.”
He added that it recently seemed like Coffman had gotten off track. Still, he said he has a hard time believing the escape attempt was his idea.
“I want to believe he followed along with (Thompson’s) bad idea,” Olson said.
Commissioner Dayann Liebman sentenced Coffman to 52 to 65 weeks in a juvenile institution for being an accomplice to the assault. As part of a deal with the prosecution, one count of custodial assault and a count of second-degree attempted escape were dismissed. He was given credit for some time served.
“I hope when he goes to the juvenile institution, he takes advantage of the treatment they have there … I’m hopeful that we won’t see Daniel in this courtroom again,” Olson said.
Coffman’s defense attorney, Karen Peterson, said the teen is remorseful for what he did.
“I think he wishes he had never even taken this step to talk about this. But, he made the decision to pick up a chair and swing at the window. I think he realizes what a huge mistake he made,” she said.
Coffman told Commissioner Liebman he wants to apologize to Scott Campbell. She said he’d have to ask one of the other detention officers to pass his message along.
He then turned to the surrounding officers and said, “I hope you let Scott know that I made a huge mistake and I apologize for my involvement in the assault.”
When the hearing ended, Coffman hugged his tearful mother before being escorted away.
Thompson’s arraignment was set over to June 3 because he may be remanded to adult court. He faces allegations of second-degree assault, custodial assault and second-degree attempted escape.
In addition to this case, Thompson, along with a co-defendant, is accused of breaking into an east Vancouver home in April and assaulting and robbing a 65-year-old woman. He faces allegations of first-degree assault, robbery, burglary and kidnapping in that case.
He remains in custody.
