Enumclaw Cases Wind Through King County Court

Enumclaw Patch's interim Local Editor Steve Powell followed several cases this summer while April Chan was out on leave. Here's a look at where things stand for four cases we continue to follow:

Asenka Wilber: The 43-year-old Enumclaw woman was shot by King County deputies following a , but she currently sits in the King County Jail with bail set at $500,000 having been charged with three counts of second-degree assault.

Deputies were called to a house in the 37300 block of 244^th Avenue Southeast where Wilber was reportedly breaking windows. A neighbor said that she and her husband were having marital problems.

Wilber did not cooperate with deputies who tried to negotiate with her after she reportedly retreated to a back bedroom and fired off a round from a shotgun. At one point, a deputy dropped down into the home’s crawl space and was confronted by Wilber holding a shotgun. After several commands to drop the weapon, the deputy fired, and she was hit at least once. She was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with non-life threatening injuries, according to a sheriff’s news release.

The shooting is being reviewed by the Sheriff's Office Shooting Review Board to make sure policies were followed. Meanwhile, Wilber was scheduled for a competency hearing/arraignment yesterday, said King County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Dan Donohoe in an email to Patch. However, she was still being evaluated for competency and Wednesday's hearing was continued to October 19 at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.

Prior coverage:

• Enumclaw Woman Shot by Deputy Now in Jail on $500,000 Bail

Eric Sampson: The 19-year-old was shot multiple times in March and died during with deputes that involved a machete.

Sampson reportedly was pulled over by Buckley police for outstanding warrants. He was compliant until he informed that he was under arrest for those warrants. Sampson drove off, pursued by law enforcement.

Deputies located him on a road in the Cumberland area later that night carrying a large machete. Sampson reportedly walked up to a deputy's car and slashed the hood with the weapon. He was shot with Tasers first. When that didn’t subdue him, three deputies fired multiple shots. He died despite rescue efforts by deputies and the Maple Valley Fire Department.

King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg recommended an inquest after his office reviewed investigative materials from the Sheriff’s Office. Inquests are fact-finding hearings conducted before a six-member jury. Under a standing Executive Order they are routinely called to determine the circumstances of any death involving a member of any law enforcement agency within King County.

According to Donohoe, there is not yet an inquest date set. However, a pre-inquest hearing is scheduled for this Monday, Sept. 26 at 1:30 p.m. at the King County Courthouse.

Prior coverage:

• Man Shot by Deputies Identified
• Mother Speaks out About Son's Shooting by King County Sheriff's Deputies
• Inquest Ordered in Shooting of Ravensdale Man

Samuel Shane Alvidrez: The trial date for Alvidrez, a local business owner and martial arts instructor who has been accused of having sexual relations with a minor, has been set for Oct. 3.

Alvidrez, 49, has been accused of having sexual relations with a 15-year-old student. He is the owner of Enumclaw School of Martial Arts, at 1362 Cole St.  from the King County Prosecutor’s Office accuse Alvidrez of having sexual relations with a female student between March 1, 2010, and June 30, 2010, at his residence and at the martial arts studio, where he is also an instructor.

He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of third-degree rape of a child.

Alvidrez also owns a restaurant and has a home construction remodeling business.

Prior coverage:

• Arraignment for Martial Arts Instructor Facing Rape Charge Set for Monday
• Alvidrez Pleads Not Guilty, Free on Personal Recognizance
• Alleged Rape Victim's Mom Speaks Out About Her Daughter's Treatment
• Trial Date Set for Martial Arts Instructor Charged in Alleged Rape

James Radtke: Radtke was charged July 21 with first-degree manslaughter in the Dec. 11, 2010, death of 16-year-old Kelsey Carter. Radtke, 25, of Kent, reportedly accidentally shot Kelsey while she was sitting on his lap. Charging papers say he had been drinking.

He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree manslaughter. A case setting hearing was scheduled for Sept. 12.

Radtke is out on $100,000 bail.

Prior coverage:

• Slain 16-year-old Remembered
• Kent Man Charged With Manslaughter In Fatal Shooting of Enumclaw Teen
• Judge: Alleged Shooter Not Allowed Within 100 Feet of Enumclaw Victim's Grave
• 'Hair Trigger' on Gun Led to Shooting That Killed Enumclaw Girl, Papers Say