With backup minutes away and a tense situation unfolding at the bathrooms near the Astoria-Megler Bridge, a lone trooper from the Washington State Patrol rushed to a woman’s rescue on May 17 on State Route 401.

The agency was dispatched to the report of a domestic violence incident in progress at the rest area with a woman locked inside a bathroom, hiding from an irate man. Another woman called 911 to report the tense situation while adding that the man had a knife.

“At approximately [6:15 a.m.] I attempted to pre-stage with medical staff and Pacific County Sheriff’s Office deputies a couple of miles away from the incident,” Trooper Carson A. Deroo stated in court documents. “Washington State Patrol Communications notified that the male in the incident was now shouting and attempting to locate the female.”

Deroo rushed to the scene and arrived to find the male, John A. Names, 49, inside a black 2019 Audi. Names told Deroo he was having an argument with the female.

“I contacted [the female] who was in a closet of the rest area,” Deroo stated. “[She] visually appeared to be shook up and afraid. I asked [her] what had happened. She stated that Names and her had got into an argument and Names had become very angry.”

“When [she] left the vehicle and hid in the restroom away from Names, she stated Names threatened her. [She] indicated Names shouted at her [that] if she reported him to the police, he would kill her, and she needed to get back into the car. [She] stated she feared for her life and knew Names had the means and ability to harm her,” Deroo added.

The couple had reportedly been involved in a scuffle earlier.

“I asked [her] about assaults,” Deroo stated. “[She] stated that Names had punched her in the right side of her neck and forced her out of the car earlier. [She] stated she was in significant pain from it and requested medical attention when asked if she needed it.”

The woman showed Deroo where she was allegedly struck and was able to “visually see red markings” where she indicated she had been hit. She was apparently unable to call 911 because Names had allegedly broken her phone.

Names was reportedly using sensitive videos to blackmail the woman.

“A witness and the original reporting party were with [her] in the closet,” Deroo stated. “The witness stated she could hear Names screaming and threatening that he was going to kill [her] if she did not come out of the bathroom.”

Deroo reportedly spoke with Names again and questioned him about what had happened.

“Names first indicated he did not know what I was talking about,” Deroo stated. “Upon further questioning, Names stated he had gone to the passenger side of the vehicle when [she] was exiting the vehicle.”

Names denied any altercation and reportedly admitted having sexually explicit content of the woman and that he sent some of it to her sister.

According to court documents, once backup arrived, the units learned there was an active protection order between Names and the woman.

Names was arrested and subsequently booked into the Pacific County Jail for felony harassment, domestic violence fourth-degree assault, interfering with the reporting of domestic violence, and coercion.

He appeared in Pacific County Superior Court on May 19, where his bail was set at $5,000.