Surveillance footage released from May courthouse assault

EPHRATA — Surveillance footage from an early May courthouse assault has been released to the Herald, showing how a security guard and a Soap Lake man ended up in a fight that spurred a two-day manhunt.

The footage shows Joshua Maher, 34, of Soap Lake, and his 15-year-old son entering the courthouse. The two began emptying their pockets and removing belts in order to pass through the building’s security checkpoint, which was staffed by Jessica Lewis and another guard with private security company Phoenix Protective Corp.

Lewis helped remove a watch or bracelet from Maher’s wrist before giving him a brief pat-down, quickly focusing on Maher’s right pocket. Maher appeared to fidget and adjust his sweatshirt and pants before putting his hands over Lewis’ in an apparent attempt to keep her from removing a small plastic baggie with narcotics inside.

After a few moments, Lewis managed to pry the baggie free from Maher’s pocket. Maher reached for it, but after Lewis drew her hand back and retained possession of the baggie, Maher began to flee the scene. As Maher turned toward the door, Lewis grabbed his sweatshirt and was dragged out the facility’s double doors. Though the footage is unclear, Lewis reportedly hit the dividing bar separating the two doors.

The footage is blocked by the courthouse doors but appears to show Maher spun around and either struck Lewis or shoved her back, causing her to fall to the ground. A second security guard rushed after Maher and attempted to deploy his taser, but it failed to stun Maher, the footage shows. Maher fled northward from the scene, leaving his son behind.

A manhunt ensued for the next several hours. A K9 unit with the sheriff’s office was deployed to track Maher but did not locate the suspect. Sheriff’s deputies did locate Maher the next day, arresting him on an unrelated outstanding warrant, according to court records.

Lewis reportedly suffered a broken knee, broken finger, and a pulled tendon as a result of the encounter, and Maher was charged with second-degree assault.

Maher’s defense has argued that Lewis was to blame for her own injuries, claiming her actions were what led to her injuries. Initially, Maher’s counsel unsuccessfully attempted to get his charge lowered to fourth-degree assault, but successfully had his bail reduced from $10,000 to $5,000 Tuesday by arguing that Lewis mischaracterized Maher’s actions.

In the defendant’s motion to reconsider bail, Maher’s counsel alleges that in the video Maher never hits or shoves Lewis, but instead “brushes her off of him,” and that Lewis trips over her own feet, “as the force employed by Joshua Maher is minimal at best.” The court cited state laws in its decision to lower Maher’s bail.

A pre-trial readiness hearing is scheduled for May 11.

Emry Dinman can be reached via email at edinman@columbiabasinherald.com.