Officer allegedly assaulted by two suspects

Published 7:32 am Tuesday, August 13, 2024

RAYMOND — A couple landed themselves in Pacific County Jail Aug. 11 after an assault call on the 1200 block of Larch Street in the Riverdale area of Raymond. The incident unfolded at 5:27 p.m.

Officers responded after a mother called 911 to report that an adult female assaulted her child. The child was allegedly petting a neighbor’s dog, and the neighbor became angry.

The female, later identified as Nancy L. Applebaum, 65, reportedly began screaming at the child and several other children. She then allegedly slapped the child across the face and shoved him to the ground.

“I asked the [the alleged victim] if I could see where Nancy slapped [them],” investigating Officer Michael Oropeza-Ramirez states in court records. “[The alleged victim] came up to me and showed me the red marks on the right cheek and on his right side of his neck.”

According to court records, a portion of the incident was reportedly caught on video by the alleged victim’s sibling and allegedly showed Applebaum screaming at the children. It does not show the alleged assault.

Applebaum and a male reportedly left the area following the alleged assault and were located by a South Bend Police Department officer at Grower’s Outlet in South Bend. Two officers from the department confronted the couple.

“Nancy began walking away from us towards her vehicle, and I advised her that she was detained and not free to leave. Nancy advised Officer [Bubba] Madrid and I that we were going to have to kill her,” Officer Jordan Dockter states in court records.

The officers reportedly attempted to detain Applebaum and were allegedly met with aggression, including her trying to turn away from the officers, and her husband, identified as Mark D. Kelley, 65, attempting to intervene — by placing Applebaum in a bear-hug.

“Officer Madrid and I continued to struggle to get Nancy’s hands behind her back and to try and get Mark separated from Nancy, and this continued to go on and escalate even more with both Mark and Nancy’s behavior,” Dockter states.

Dockter was reportedly kicked in the groin by Applebaum and pushed in the chest by Kelley.

“Officer Madrid observed Mark shove me in my chest and pulled his taser out and began yelling at Mark that he was going to get tased,” Dockter states. “I was able to rip Nancy and Mark apart at this time and Nancy went running away into Grower’s Outlet. I drew my department-issued taser and turned it on, pointing it at Mark’s center mass.”

The officers were ultimately able to get Kelley to the ground where, after a struggle, he was placed in handcuffs. Another officer then apprehended Applebaum after she exited Grower’s Outlet.

According to court records, after medical clearance at Willapa Harbor Hospital, Applebaum was booked into the jail for third-degree assault, fourth-degree assault and resisting arrest. Kelley was booked for third-degree assault, resisting arrest and obstructing a public servant.

The couple each appeared for a preliminary Pacific County Superior Court hearing on Aug. 12. Applebaum is being held in lieu of $7,500, and Kelly in lieu of $5,000. They are each scheduled to be formally arraigned Aug. 23.

In Washington state, third-degree assault is a class C felony with a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Fourth-degree assault is a gross misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of 364 days in jail. Resisting arrest is a misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of 90 days in jail, and obstructing a public servant is a gross misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of 364 days in jail.