The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON - Loren Mullins, of Dayton, the alleged stabbing victim in a recent fight that led to one arrest, was himself arrested last week after a trespassing incident.

Mullins was booked into Columbia County Jail on Feb. 6, joining Eric Vanzandt, who had also been involved in a fight that led to Mullins being stabbed. Vanzandt had been arrested on a warrant Jan. 29 following that fight.

Vanzandt is being charged with burglary in the second degree, possession of a firearm in the first degree (3 counts), theft of a firearm (3 counts), possessing a stolen firearm (3 counts), theft in the second degree and possession of stolen property second degree.

Mullins was arrested Feb. 6 following two trespassing reports, according to Rea Culwell, Columbia County prosecutor. A 911 call was made to law enforcement from Mullins' neighbors that evening, reporting that he was trespassing on their property. Culwell said the sheriff's deputies made contact with Mullins and requested he remove himself from the property. About 50 minutes later at about 7 p.m., Culwell said, another trespass incident was reported on West Cameron Court and Mullins was arrested there after some resistance.

Mullins is charged with criminal trespass in the second degree, obstructing a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and malicious mischief in the second degree. The malicious mischief charge is a felony.

After the fight in Dayton on Jan. 29, medical employees at St. Mary's Medical Center reported Mullins came in for treatment and had a bloody nose and a stab wound to his torso that was 4 inches deep, and 1 to 2 inches wide. Culwell said Mullins claims to have stabbed himself, and he still stands by that story.

Because Vanzandt and Mullins could be co-defendents or witnesses to a crime, Vanzandt was transported to Garfield County on Feb. 7 to be held after Mullins was booked into Columbia County Jail.

Mullins had a bond hearing last Thursday morning and his bail was set at $20,000. He will be arraigned Feb. 16.

Culwell said Mullins has been convicted of nine felonies and 22 misdemeanors in Washington and Idaho, and more specifically, in Columbia and Walla Walla counties.

Vanzandt is scheduled to issue his plea before a judge the same day in superior court. Vanzandt is being held on a $250,100.00 bond, pending a hearing. His charges, relating to recent burglaries, mean Vanzandt could maximum of 10 years in prison for his Class B felonies and/or a $20,000 fine each as well as a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and/or a $10,000 fine for two Class C felonies.