Sheriff’s office rescues woman held captive in Oysterville

Published 12:29 pm Monday, July 8, 2024

OYSTERVILLE — The Pacific County Sheriff’s Office rescued a woman who was allegedly being held captive in Oysterville. The incident unfolded on July 5, 2024, and resulted in a significant police response in the area of the 33000 block of Territory Road.

The incident began when deputies were dispatched to the report of a domestic violence incident. Upon arrival, they saw a woman in an upstairs window screaming for police. Officers surrounded the home and ordered the occupants outside.

According to court records, a male identified as Michael S. Dutchuk, 68, opened the front door, and a female exited the home “running” and “screaming.” Deputies quickly rescued the alleged victim.

“Chief Criminal Deputy [Randy] Wiegardt was also on scene, and after [the alleged victim] exited the residence, he called Michael out,” Deputy Cosmo Cozby states in court records. “Michael was initially hesitant to obey his commands, and after a brief exchange between him and [Wiegardt], he ultimately followed his commands.”

Dutchuk reportedly told officers that the female was “crazy” and was “taking over his house,” which was meant to go to his kids.

“I asked Michael if we could look inside the house to check for any other occupants and Michael said yes,” Cozby states in court records. “[Wiegardt] and Deputy [Dustin] Akker went inside while Deputy [Alex] Bennett and I continued to talk to Michael.”

“[Wiegardt] waved for me to come in and I observed 2 nails in the door that leads to the upstairs that looks like it would keep the door shut from the outside preventing someone from exiting the upstairs room,” Cozby added.

According to comments made by Dutchuk to the deputies, the nails were placed because a raccoon got into his house five years ago, and he needed it to stay upstairs — a timeline which he then changed to within the previous one to three days.

“He said he locked the door to keep her upstairs, and then he said he locked the door to keep her from going upstairs,” Cozby states in court records. “Michael was unable to keep the same story about the nails and when they got there or why they were there except for the fact that he did nail it there.”

Detective Cory Nacnac interviewed the female at the sheriff’s office and learned that Dutchuk allegedly had nailed the door shut after she went upstairs to her room on July 4, 2024. The following morning, she was able to bust through the door.

“While upstairs the second time on the morning of [July 5, 2024], she heard pounding on the door and discovered Michael was again nailing the door shut, and she was again restrained to the room without her consent,” Cozby states in court records.

“[She] resorted to attempting to escape out of the second-floor window until law enforcement arrived,” Cozby added.

The female also stated that Dutchuk pointed a shotgun at her and said he could shoot her because “she was an alien intruder” — but later put it down and argued with the female.

Dutchuk was arrested and booked into the Pacific County Jail for second-degree assault and unlawful imprisonment. As of July 8 he remained in jail and no bail had been set.