Knife-wielding suspect found hiding under truck in Olympia

Bail was set at $30,000 Monday for a man accused of threatening to stab an Olympia resident who had found him hiding under a truck.

Conner James McClain, 22, appeared in Thurston County Superior Court on one count of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon. Arraignment was set for July 5.

Court documents give the following account:

About 8 p.m. Saturday, a woman called police to report that a suspicious man — later identified as McClain — was lying under a truck in her driveway in southeast Olympia. The woman’s husband chased McClain through neighboring properties.

The husband finally caught up with McClain. That’s when the suspect allegedly pulled out a knife with a blade about 4 inches long and started yelling at the husband, “I will stab you. You are coming between me and my baby.”

The husband told police that he was scared and ran back to the house. Police eventually apprehended McClain, who was hiding in some nearby bushes in the 2400 block of Lincoln Avenue Southeast. Police also found a black and silver knife.

McClain was already being supervised by the Department of Corrections. He was arrested in May for attempting to elude a police vehicle, but he posted bail and was scheduled for a plea hearing July 1 on that charge.

At the time of his arrest in May, McClain told law enforcement that he has been moving from motel to motel. His criminal history includes convictions for burglary, identity theft, robbery, theft and harassment.

At Monday’s hearing, deputy prosecuting attorney Christy Peters said McClain faces a “substantial prison sentence” and that the recent allegations would be his fifth felony charge since 2014.

“He is a danger to the community,” Peters said.

This story was originally published June 20, 2016 at 5:09 PM with the headline "Knife-wielding suspect found hiding under truck in Olympia."