The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Two men were charged Monday in Wahkiakum Superior Court in connection with an attempted burglary in the Elochoman Valley on July 6.

Longview residents John Thomas Nash and Calvin A. Nguyen were charged with burglary in the second degree, theft of a motor vehicle, and possession of a controlled substance—methamphetamine.

According to the affidavit of probable cause for arrest, the two were confronted in the early morning hours of July 6 by William Byers on his property in the Elochoman Valley when he found them attempting to drive away with an ATV in the back of a truck, according to the probable cause. Byers, a Puget Island resident, was on high alert after a recent break-in. He fired several shots into their vehicle, and the two men took off on foot. They were found several hours later, muddy and wet, walking south on Elochoman Valley Road, and Wahkiakum County Sheriff Department officers arrested them.

Nash, 30, was given a court appointed attorney and released on a $5,000 bail bond. He is ordered to return for an omnibus hearing at 9:30 on August 17 and on October 12-13 for a jury trial.

Nguyen, 20, was provided a court appointed attorney and released on his own recognizance. He is required to return for pre-trial on August 17 and a jury trial on October 14. He has been ordered not to enter Wahkiakum County except for legal proceedings.

The first count carries a possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison or a $20,000 fine. The second, five years in prison or a 10,000 fine.