[1]Lena A. Castillo, 23, awaits her turn to go before a judge as she makes a first appearance in court regarding an assault charge.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Prosecutors allege the stabbing victim from this weekend’s bar fight in Chehalis started the physical altercation but the other young woman with a small knife continued attacking her after she stopped fighting and was on the ground.
Lena A. Castillo, 23, told police she was standing outside Garbes bar smoking a cigarette when 22-year-old Ashley Stewart confronted her, said something and grabbed her by the hair, according to charging documents.
“If you want to talk sh*t, let’s go,” Stewart allegedly said to her.
Castillo told police it was about Castillo’s ex-boyfriend.
The incident, caught on video outside Garbe’s Bar and Grill, shows Stewart approach Castillo and strike her and the two women beginning to fight, according to charging documents. But it also shows Castillo attacking Stewart until someone pulls her away, the documents allege.
Chehalis police called it mutual combat and said this morning they can’t prove who owns the pair of brass knuckles that turned up in the restroom where the stabbing victim was tended to by friends.
It all happened about 12:30 a.m. on Saturday on the 300 block of Northwest Chehalis Avenue in an area with five bars along the same stretch.
Both of the young women are from Centralia.
Castillo was charged today with first-degree assault. A judge set her bail at $75,000.
Charging documents offer other details as described by Chehalis police:
Arriving officers noticed Castillo bleeding from a cut on her pinky finger. They found in her jeans pocket a small silver object – a lighter-knife combination with a double-edged blade.
Police observed a blood trail leading through the bar and into the bathroom where Stewart was located.
Stewart was taken to Providence Centralia Hospital where she was treated for four stab wounds to her stomach and one to each leg.
Castillo told police she didn’t know how her finger got cut and denied stabbing Stewart.
Chehalis Police Department detective Sgt. Gary Wilson said Castillo suffered bumps and bruises, none of the injuries significant, including some bruising on her head.
“We can’t tell from what,” Wilson said.
In Lewis County Superior Court this afternoon, Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher told the judge the video is very clear as he argued for high bail.
Castillo, who according to information in her court documents is 5-feet 2-inches tall and 129 pounds, said very little as she sat at the defense table, shackled both around her waist and at her ankles.
Defense attorney Bob Schroeter said Castillo works part-time babysitting and has only four minor previous contacts with the law.
Castillo has a misdemeanor theft conviction from 2010, according to prosecutors.
Meagher, when asked outside the courtroom about the possibility brass knuckles were used in the fight, indicated it wouldn’t make a difference.
“I’ll leave that up to the jury,” Meagher said.
Castillo’s arraignment is scheduled for Thursday.
•••
For background, read:
• “Police: “Mutual combat” between two women in Saturday assault outside bar” from Monday January 14, 2013 at 12:19 p.m., here [2]
• “Woman arrested after stabbing outside Chehalis bar” from Saturday January 12, 2013 at 6:50 p.m., here [3]