Olympia man uses hornet spray to capture alleged trespasser

Olympia police arrested a suspect accused of trespassing early Monday after a resident held the man at bay with a can of wasp and hornet killer.

Police responded to a trespassing call just after 5 a.m. in the 2800 block of 18th Avenue Southeast. A couple awoke when their dog started barking outside, and the husband saw the suspect walking off his neighbor’s porch, according to police.

The suspect started walking in the resident’s direction, and as he got closer, the resident sprayed the suspect with wasp and hornet killer. He kept the suspect on the ground by holding the can ready to spray, according to police.

Police arrived and arrested Leo Denis Joyce, 46. Joyce told police he was being chased by three men and had approached the houses to find help. He had passed at least six “no trespassing” signs as he came down the driveway, police say.

While searching Joyce, officers found a small baggie of methamphetamine. Joyce denied the drugs were his, according to charging documents.

Joyce appeared Tuesday in Thurston County Superior Court for a bail hearing. He faces one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance. Judge Anne Hirsch agreed to release Joyce on his personal recognizance once he provides a verified address. Arraignment is set for Sept. 29.

At Tuesday’s hearing, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Mark Thompson said that Joyce had 10 prior felony convictions and is on probation with the Department of Corrections.

This story was originally published September 15, 2015 at 4:53 PM with the headline "Olympia man uses hornet spray to capture alleged trespasser."