By Rob Ollikainen
Olympic Peninsula News Group
PORT ANGELES — A Forks man accused of assaulting an officer to break out of the Forks jail last week was exonerated of violating his conditions of release Friday because a police report had not been filed, a Clallam County prosecutor said.
Alejandro Cendejas-Montoya, 22, is being investigated for assaulting Corrections Officer Sue Roberts with the help of another man to escape from the city jail Jan. 15.
His alleged accomplice, Boe James Baker, 35, was found dead last Tuesday after hanging himself outside a home a block from the jail, authorities said.
Cendejas-Montoya was arrested without incident last Tuesday. He was being held Monday in the Clallam County jail.
Cendejas-Montoya was charged Thursday in a separate case for allegedly introducing contraband, possessing heroin and using drug paraphernalia in the Forks jail in August 2016. He was released on his own recognizance in that case.
Before the alleged jailbreak, Cendejas-Montoya was being held on a possession of drug paraphernalia charge.
Clallam County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney April King filed a motion to exonerate Cendejas-Montoya from violating his conditions of release for the alleged officer-assault and jail escape Friday.
“It’s simply because we don’t have the police reports yet,” King said in a telephone interview.
“We just have the certification for probable cause. Before we make a decision regarding the appropriate charge, we want as much information as possible.”
Roberts was being treated at Forks Community Hospital last week for three facial fractures, mainly inflicted by Baker, Forks Police Chief Mike Rowley told the Peninsula Daily News last Wednesday.
Cendejas-Montoya had been on a 72-hour hold when he was exonerated Friday. He was previously held on $150,000 bail.
“We want as much information as we can get to make the best [charging] decision possible,” King said.
According to the affidavit for probable cause, Cendejas-Montoya falsely claimed that his bedding was wet and shoved Roberts as she entered his cell block, reaching for her keys.
Forks police said Baker repeatedly punched the officer until she gave the keys to Cendejas-Montoya, who opened the door to the control room, allowing both inmates to escape.
Jail staffing and procedures were being reviewed last week, Rowley said.
Cendejas-Montoya will be arraigned on the new drug charges Feb. 2.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsula dailynews.com.
