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Man smashes homes in bulldozer rampage before arrest - Q13 FOX News
CLALLAM- COUNTY The images dont do it justice. A man on a rampage driving a bulldozer did hundreds of thousands of dollars damage in just minutes. Smashing three homes, one ford truck, a boat and tractor before Clallam County deputies finally put a stop to it.
The county Undersheriff, Ron Peregrin said, This of course is above what were normally used to and someone just snapped and jumped on a bulldozer and started taking out peoples houses.
The sheriffs office says the man responsible is 51 year-old Barry Swegle. He has a lengthy rap sheet that includes everything from burglary to stalking and public indecency, and now this.
Peregrin said, Probably numerous malicious mischief first degree charges depending on what comes out of the interviews we could even have attempted homicide.
Luckily no one was hurt and no one had a better view than Barbara Porter. First, she heard the bulldozer rumbling.
So I thought Barry is ready to do something he shouldnt do, Port said. I watched out my window and I saw him get a hold of Daves mobile home and he pushed it into mine and then he went over and drove over his pickup and smashed it all up. Then he went down to Dans house and started tearing it up.
Barbaras home was also damaged but the carnage left her sense of humor intact.
You can open up the bedroom window and get some tools out of the shed, she laughed. Its so close,
The entire incident didnt surprise her one bit.
We all said one of these days Barry is going to take that dang cat and hes going to start tearing up peoples property and thats what he did.
PORT ANGELES, Wash. (AP) - A judge has set bail at $1 million for a man accused of destroying three homes with a bulldozer during a rampage on Washington's Olympic Peninsula.
The Peninsula Daily News reports that Clallam County Superior Court Judge Erik Rohrer scheduled a hearing Wednesday during which formal charges are expected to be filed against 51-year-old Barry Swegle.
Swegle was arrested Friday for investigation of assault and malicious mischief after neighbors told police he climbed aboard a bulldozer and took out the homes, crushed a pickup truck and knocked down a utility pole, cutting power to thousands. No injuries were reported.
Investigators say he was apparently motivated by a long-running property-line dispute.
Swegle told the judge Monday that he would try to hire his own lawyer.