Cowlitz County authorities will take over prosecution of Thursday’s incident where a defendant attacked a deputy prosecutor in the Clark County Courthouse. A Superior Court judge and sheriff’s deputy were injured in the incident but are expected to recover.
Clark County Prosecutor Tony Golik said Friday his office has a conflict of interest with the case, so he’s “leaving it to (Cowlitz County prosecutors) to decide when they take action.”
Roberto Diaz-Lara, 49, of Vancouver is being held at the Clark County Jail in connection with the incident. He may face allegations of second- and third-degree assault, according to the sheriff’s office.
Diaz-Lara stood trial in Superior Court this week on three counts of first-degree child molestation-domestic violence. The jury found Diaz-Lara guilty on all charges shortly before noon Thursday.
Video footage from the courtroom shows that once the jury was excused, Diaz-Lara abruptly left the defense table and attempted to strike Deputy Prosecutor Colin Hayes with an unidentified object. Diaz-Lara is also seen in the video pointing at Hayes and yelling a profanity.
A Clark County sheriff’s deputy who was seated toward the back of the courtroom rushed to intervene. A struggle ensued. Judge Daniel Stahnke, who is a former Clark County Sheriff’s Office custody officer, left the bench to intervene and was reportedly bitten.
Superior Court Administrator Jeff Amram said Thursday that he did not see the altercation but later saw bite marks on Stahnke’s cheek and arm. Stahnke was treated at the courthouse for his injuries.
About a half-dozen courthouse deputies and security personnel rushed into the courtroom. Diaz-Lara was subsequently subdued and taken into custody.
A freelance Spanish interpreter, Carmen Vernier, began recording the incident with her phone shortly after the scuffle began. She said Friday that she planned to contact the lead investigator in the case to hand over the video footage.
Sheriff’s office spokesman Sgt. Fred Neiman said a deputy was taken to a hospital Thursday and treated for unknown injuries. Neiman declined to release the names of the deputies involved in the incident.
Golik said Hayes, his deputy prosecutor, is OK and was at work Friday.
Judge Stahnke was not at work Friday because he had a previously scheduled vacation day, Amram said.
If additional charges are filed against Diaz-Lara, Stahnke will likely recuse himself from the case, Amram said Friday. He said a judge from another county, such as Cowlitz or Skamania, will come and oversee the proceedings. When that happens, Clark County Superior Court will send a judge to cover hearings in the other county.
There is a regularly scheduled judges’ meeting Tuesday. “I’m sure this (incident) will be reviewed, and possibly, recommendations will be made,” Amram said.
