Port Angeles Man Arrested After Two-Day Search Following Reported Domestic Violence Incident

A 30-year-old Port Angeles man sought by law enforcement since Monday afternoon was arrested Tuesday after he collided with a deputy and was stopped with a Taser, according to the Clallam County Sheriff's Office.

Aaron J. Hatfield was taken into custody at about 12:21 p.m. on Tuesday, August 11, ending a search that began the previous day after a reported domestic violence incident at a residence on South Bay View Avenue in Port Angeles.

According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies responded Tuesday to a citizen tip that Hatfield had been seen in the area of Marsden Road in Port Angeles. Deputies and Port Angeles police officers were responding when a second tip came in reporting that Hatfield had been seen in the 100 block of South Brook Avenue.

While law enforcement was en route, a deputy located Hatfield in the yard of a private residence, the Sheriff's Office stated. Hatfield ran at the deputy at full speed and collided with him, causing both men to fall to the ground, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Hatfield got up quickly and ran southbound as deputies pursued him on foot, the Sheriff's Office said. A deputy deployed a Taser, which was successful and resulted in Hatfield's arrest. When Hatfield was searched incident to arrest, deputies located a fixed-blade knife on his person.

The deputy Hatfield collided with did not sustain any injuries, the Sheriff's Office stated.

Hatfield was arrested on suspicion of five offenses: third-degree assault against a police officer, resisting arrest, residential burglary designated as domestic violence, assault in violation of a no-contact order designated as domestic violence, and third-degree malicious mischief designated as domestic violence.

The arrest concluded a search that began Monday, August 10, when deputies were dispatched at about 2:32 p.m. to a report of a domestic violence incident at a residence on South Bay View Avenue.

The reporting party called 911 and reported that Hatfield had assaulted them, damaged a Ring security camera with an axe and broken a cell phone before fleeing west on foot into a wooded area while armed with a knife, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Because of the law enforcement activity, Clallam County issued a public notification through Everbridge, the emergency alert system used by the county, covering the area south of Bay View Avenue between Monroe Road and Mount Pleasant Road.

Clallam County Sheriff's deputies and Port Angeles police officers searched the area Monday with a K9 tracking team and a drone but did not locate Hatfield at that time.

The Clallam County Sheriff's Office extended its appreciation to the Port Angeles Police Department for its support over the two days of the search, which the agency said resulted in Hatfield's successful apprehension.