SEATTLE — A 44-year-old man who allegedly assaulted multiple people inside an Einstein Bros. Bagels in downtown Seattle faces multiple charges after being arrested Sunday, Sept. 22.
Jerome Powell, Jr. was charged with three counts of unlawful imprisonment, attempted unlawful imprisonment, third-degree assault and three counts of fourth-degree assault Wednesday, Sept. 25. All but the fourth-degree assault charges are felonies.
Powell is in King County Jail on $200,000 bail. He will be arraigned Oct. 9.
Just before 11 a.m. on Sept. 22, Seattle officers responded to reports of a man punching people in the 2200 block of Westlake Avenue. They learned Powell had allegedly gone inside the bagel shop and stayed for several hours, watching an employee behind the counter.
At one point, Powell confronted three customers, claiming he was a federal agent, according to charging documents. He also said he was protecting his "fiancée" - the employee behind the counter.
He allegedly began punching the three customers before cornering them with a chair and telling them to stay put for his "investigation."
The employee, an 18-year-old woman, attempted to flee. Powell followed and tried to "move or get her to accompany him" by grabbing her wrist.
The employee then managed to flee.
Police arrived and detained Powell. However, on the way to a patrol car, Powell allegedly punched and shoved an officer to the ground. Other officers and bystanders intervened.
The officer who was punched was taken to the hospital for his injury.
According to a statement of probable cause, Powell admitted to punching the officer for "impeding a federal investigation." He said he was "investigating a 'missing person' and 'stalking his fiancée.'"
Bagel shop employees gave police a note Powell had left stating his intentions to marry the 18-year-old employee.
According to Seattle police, the 18-year-old requested information on how to get a protection order because she was "so traumatized by the incident."
Powell has several convictions for violation of a no contact order, according to records obtained by KING 5.