Pacific County Superior Court

Published 6:09 am Monday, July 29, 2024

SOUTH BEND — The following cases highlighted the July 19 Pacific County Superior Court felony criminal docket:

Randall T. Day, 66 — Charges of driving under the influence and eluding law enforcement were filed against him on June 26 in connection to an incident on March 24. Day allegedly fled from a Washington State Parks officer at Cape Disappointment who attempted to stop him due to lane travel and using a cell phone while driving.

According to court records, the incident was radioed out to Washington State Patrol units and a trooper in Naselle tracked the suspect to a Naselle address. The trooper caught Day heading northbound on State Route 401, about four miles south of Naselle.

The trooper was reportedly only going to let Day know he was being issued a ticket by a parks officer. However, upon contact, the trooper allegedly smelled the odor of alcohol coming from Day and observed visible signs of impairment – including slurred speech and bloodshot eyes.

When asked why he fled from the parks officer, Day reportedly stated, “Because they were being a**holes.” Day allegedly told the trooper he was at Cape Disappointment to crab and also admitted to downing a beer about 90 minutes before the traffic stop.

Day refused to perform a field sobriety test and provided two breath samples at the WSP-Naselle Detachment of .174% BAC and .191% BAC, over twice the legal limit of .08% BAC.

According to court records, Day failed to appear for an arraignment hearing on July 19 and the court issued a $5,000 warrant with a no-bail hold pending a court appearance.

Kelly J. Parker, 40 — A corrections officer intercepted mail sent by Parker to a Pacific County Jail inmate on Jan. 18, 2023 that turned out to contain controlled substances. Parker was issued a summons on June 27, 2024, to appear for arraignment on July 19.

According to court records, the corrections officer and an officer with the Pacific County Joint Drug Task Force caught on to a multi-month operation by Parker to get drugs into the jail. She was reportedly using cards that had squares of drugs inside.

The substances were sent to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab in Seattle and were determined to be Naloxone and Buprenorphine, which are controlled substances. Parker faces one count of delivery of a controlled substance.

According to court records, Parker did not appear for the hearing and the court issued a $5,000 warrant for her arrest and a no-bail hold pending a court appearance.

Kurt E. Kaino, 62 — He was arrested March 2 after calling 911 wanting to turn himself in for violating a court order to stay away from his mother. One officer from the Long Beach Police Department responded to the call and met a hostile Kaino.

According to court records, the officer went out of his way to defuse the situation, offering to give Kaino a ride wherever he needed to go. Kaino instead decided to get physical with the officer, then pulled a knife out and stabbed the officer’s patrol vehicle.

Kaino pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree assault on June 28 in a plea agreement that recommends a Mental Health Sentencing Alternative. The agreement would mean Kaino avoids prison time as long as he complies with all stipulations of the agreement.

If he does not comply, it recommends a sentence of 43 months in prison and 12 months of community custody upon release. The court ordered a pre-sentencing investigation on July 19 and his formal sentencing has been set for Aug. 2.

Samantha Vineyard-Howard (Hess), 31 — The court issued a $100,000 bench warrant on July 5 after she failed to appear for a motion hearing. She faces controlled substance homicide for the overdose death of Ryan O’Connor on March 21, 2023.

Her case went to trial on June 10, 2024, and ran through June 12, when a jury deadlocked and a mistrial was declared. The Pacific County Prosecutor’s Office immediately chose to seek a new trial.

Hess was taken into custody during her trial after showing up two days late. She was ultimately released on bail following the mistrial and new dates were set. Following the warrant on July 5, she was picked up and appeared for a warrant identification hearing on July 15.

According to court records, the court initially reset her bail at $100,000 and then changed it to a no-bail hold on July 19. A new trial date is scheduled for Aug. 2.

Jordan M. Wood, 38 — He failed to appear for a motion hearing on July 19 for a fugitive complaint out of Douglas County, Colorado. He is facing extradition back to Colorado for a charge of felony weapons possession. The fugitive complaint includes a signed waiver of extradition signed by Woods as part of his case.

According to court records, the court issued a no-bail warrant for his arrest.

The July 26, 2024, felony docket did not include any significant developments and is not being covered.