A 36-year-old Oregon man is accused of breaking into a pickup parked at Vancouver Mall and then pointing a gun at a responding officer.
Eugene A. Jacobs appeared Tuesday in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of first-degree assault, second-degree vehicle prowling, firearm theft, unlawful firearm possession and third-degree theft.
Judge Emily Sheldrick set Jacobs’ bail at $75,000. An arraignment hearing is scheduled for Feb. 26.
Jacobs has unknown mental health or substance abuse issues, court records say.
A Vancouver police officer was dispatched to the mall around 1:30 p.m. Friday after a man called 911 and reported an unknown man, later identified as Jacobs, tried to enter his vehicle, according to a probable cause affidavit. Jacobs produced a knife while asking for a ride, the victim told police.
As the victim drove away, he saw Jacobs open the door of a truck and start to remove items, according to the affidavit.
Officer Christopher Bohatch arrived and observed Jacobs removing items from the truck. He called for backup but approached the truck after losing sight of Jacobs. The officer announced his presence and demanded Jacobs keep his hands visible. Jacobs initially said the truck was his own and continued to rifle through it, court records say.
Bohatch gave the command once more. Jacobs turned sideways, concealing his right side before putting both of his hands in his sweatshirt pocket. Jacobs refused to show his hands and then “suddenly produced a silver and black firearm from” his pocket, the affidavit says.
“He pointed the barrel of the firearm at me while keeping (it) at his hip. I saw that his finger was on the trigger,” the officer said in the affidavit.
Fearing he would be shot, the officer sidestepped, drew his weapon and demanded Jacobs drop the gun. Jacobs complied and threw the gun past Bohatch, according to the affidavit.
Jacobs was handcuffed. Meanwhile, the owner of the truck returned and told police the brandished gun was his own, court records say.
