Man arrested after fight with deputy

Averell Rennie, 27, of Friday Harbor was charged with assault in the third degree; violation of a no-contact order; criminal trespass and resisting arrest in the San Juan County Superior Court on Dec. 10.

According to the probable cause statement, the deputy responded to a report of trespassing on Wescott Drive in Friday Harbor on Dec. 6. The reporting party knew that Rennie was not to be within 1,000 feet of the residence per a protection notice, dispatch told the deputy.

En route to the residence, the deputy phoned the reporting party who noted Rennie had left. Another deputy and a detective began to search for his vehicle.

Rennie reportedly told the reporting party he was at the residence to retrieve some of his belongings but was told multiple times to leave because he is barred from being within 1,000 feet of the property.

Approximately an hour later, a deputy located Rennie at a gas station where the rest of the confrontation was caught on surveillance video.

According to the statement, the video shows the deputy approaching Rennie at the gas pump and attempting to speak with him about the trespassing call. The deputy stated Rennie didn’t respond to him and continued to put gas into his car.

The deputy grabbed Rennie’s wrist in an attempt to arrest him and Rennie allegedly pulled away and ran to the other side of the pump. Rennie then reportedly grabbed the diesel nozzle, which the deputy believed he intended to use as a weapon.

According to the probable cause statement, the video showed the deputy struggling with Rennie who continuously attempted to grab the deputy’s legs. Rennie is allegedly also shown hitting the deputy in the face at least twice and attempting to kick him while the struggle continued on the ground. He allegedly bit the deputy’s radio wire, tearing it in half and tore the deputy’s jacket.

One citizen assisted the deputy in controlling Rennie’s arms while another grabbed his legs to stop him from kicking.

Another deputy arrived and rolled Rennie onto his stomach. The deputy placed a knee on his back and “applied downward pressure,” but the technique was ineffective. The deputy then placed his knee on the side of Rennie’s head as he proceeded to handcuff him, the document continued.

Rennie reportedly grabbed at the deputy’s hands in an assumed attempt to avoid being cuffed. The second deputy assisted the arresting deputy in placing the cuffs on him and he was placed into the patrol car.

The deputy with whom Rennie fought received a small abrasion on his finger; two scratch marks on his other hand; a mark on his lower lip from being punched; and a red mark on his cheek.

According to the probable cause, Rennie has a history of resisting arrest, having done so already three times this year, twice for trespassing and once for escape.