A 19-year-old man and two other suspects appeared Thursday in Clark County Superior Court to face allegations that they knocked a man at a bus stop unconscious and committed another strong-arm robbery in Vancouver.
Valon Saeliew-Sione Jr. made an initial appearance on a charge of second-degree robbery. Judge Daniel Stahnke set bail in the case at $100,000. An arraignment hearing was scheduled for Oct. 8.
Vancouver Police Department spokesman Kim Kapp said in an email that the other two suspects refused to identify themselves. But court records identify the second suspect as Phymor Tenry. Tenry’s bail was also set at $100,000, but an affidavit notes that the court requested additional probable cause information.
The third suspect had his case moved to Clark County Juvenile Court, court records say.
Police officers were dispatched at 9:50 p.m. to Todd Road and East Fourth Plain Boulevard for the report of a physical disturbance at the bus stop.
A 911 caller reported that a group of men had attacked someone, and the victim was unconscious, Kapp said. According to the caller, the three suspects punched the victim until he fell to the ground, and then they stomped on his head and body, “even after he lost consciousness,” she said.
The victim, identified in a probable cause affidavit as John A. Wood, told officers he was assaulted because he was wearing a red bandanna. The assailants yelled obscenities at Wood before assaulting him and stealing his phone, according to the affidavit.
Wood was taken to the hospital for an evaluation of his injuries, Kapp said.
A witness provided a description of the vehicle the suspects left in. As officers were taking information on the attack, a dispatch was sent out for a robbery at 2300 General Anderson Ave., which reportedly involved a vehicle with the same description.
A separate probable cause affidavit does not identify who carried out the second robbery. It says a male wearing a long-sleeved blue jacket demanded the victim’s belongings and threatened to assault him and “slit his belly.”
“The victim for this robbery fought with (the suspect) and ended up having his shoes and clothing stolen by the suspects,” police said.
Several police units were already in the area and spotted the suspects’ vehicle, which was stopped. Three people were taken into custody. One of the suspects was wearing the second victim’s clothing, police said.
