By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A 17-year-old Rochester boy testified today he was fighting for his life when he was jumped by purported gang member Joshua Rhoades and two others in Centralia in late January.
Dustin McLean said he saw a 4-inch closed knife in Rhoades’ fist, was pulled to the ground by a female, punched by a taller white guy and then beaten and kicked.
“I was hit well over 20 times,” McLean said.
The Centralia College student was the first witness in the trial that began today in Lewis County Superior Court in Chehalis. Rhoades, 32, is charged with second-degree assault.
Deputy Prosecutor Joely O’Rourke contended in opening statements the teen was minding his own business walking to the store at night with friends when a car carrying a trio of strangers stopped near them at Fuller’s Market on South Tower Avenue looking for trouble.
O’Rourke told jurors the reason for the attack was to further Rhoades’ (aka Spooker) affiliation in the street gang, LVL.
Prosecutors have alleged in charging documents that Rhoades jumped out of a green Ford Taurus flashing gang signs, asking the teen and his friends if they were rival “Nortenos” as he held a knife; and that he initiated a fight in which the 17-year-old was knocked unconscious.
Defense attorney Chris Baum cross examined McLean, questioning how he could possibly positively identify a knife in the dark that was held in a closed hand, why he told police he didn’t want aid and why he told a doctor he wasn’t knocked out.
Twelve jurors plus one alternate, comprised of six men and seven women, are hearing the case that is set to continue into the end of the week. Judge James Lawler is presiding.
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For background, read “Sharyn’s Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup – ALLEGED GANG MEMBER DENIES BEATING TEEN” from Thursday February 7, 2013, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
“Amazed says: Thursday, April 25, 2013 at 3:50 pm”
@Amazed – good point, how can we have NO evidence of a group but have a suspected group member? Can’t have it both ways.
Reminds me of a statement, “I did not inhale” but yet yer still breathin’!
so, he dont start problems.who do u expect to believe that its already all there! he could see the kid was a kid im sure. why ditn he take on a full grown man? the cowrdly pants pissing freak! and i agree gangns in lewis co. drop them off at the mexican bordor. this really is so just juinor hi…… adn yeah duh fuck my typing isnt amess damn good insight
Trailer park trash!
Hes a punk bitch serote lame ass buster lock him up
I am sure we are supporting the bitch too Breann, what a punk ass.
Well, how this plays out will be really interesting to me. As my house was tagged several times a few years ago by the LVL. Each time I made a report & requested them to come out & look at he tagging I was firmly told that WE DO NOT HAVE any real LVL gang members here in Lewis county. so, with that said. If we don’t have LVL here according to Law enforcement…how can this guy Josh aka Spooker be a suspected LVL member? I don’t like being lied to by people who are of Authority…it appears they are just abusing it. As far as this whole case goes, I don’t know any of them. I think there’s more to this story that what will ever come out.
Breann If he is such a great guy taking care of his kids then why the hell is he trying to join a gang at 32 yrs old hey thats a great role model these kids around here make me laugh they wouldnt know a real gang if it bit them in the ass I have an ex that is a Latin king and for those of you that dont know the are part of the mexican mafia i saw more and heard more than anyone should the punks around here dont dont what it is to be a true gang memeber and they adults that try and be OGs crack me up they are nothing but punks that need a good ass whoopin so for you to sit here and defend this POS shame on you and it just shows you are no better than him… He is a father with 3 kids and 1 on the way and he chooses to run the streets and beat up kids hahahahahaha yeah thats a real man sounds more like a little bitch to me
Breann obviously you dont know him! What a punk!
Thirty-two years old? Seriously? If some of these posters are correct, it would be interesting for the Chron to interview this guy and have him explain how he is 32 years old– a bit on the ancient side to be the age of any average gang member– has 3 kids plus one on the way (how exactly is he supporting these four kids and how does any guy supporting four kids have time to join gangs?) and why he even feels the need to be part of any “gang” that would involve beating up kids half his age and possibly the same age as his own kids.
If this 17 year old had been seriously injured, would Big Daddy Spooker be the one paying the very expensive medical costs for him, or would that be money drained away from the over-stretched social services for this county needed for the people here who don’t just reproduce while expecting everyone else to support their own kids and beat up other people’s kids for reasons only he can explain?
It wasn’t just this kid that lucked out.
Say what u will but Josh aka “spooker ” has been a poison to this community for years he should be locked up forever, he is a socio path!!!!!!! Lock him up n throw away the key!!
Spooker’s a bitch. He does initiate the fights and is no more latino than Eminem is black. Cracker ass parents.
How does ganging up on and beating a 17-year-old kid in a grocery store parking lot take care of his kids and wife? Wait, I’ll just say it for you: “We don’t know him.”
Josh is nothing but a wanna be gang member that has no respect for anyone, and should be dealt with accordingly!! I just wish he would’ve picked a fight with me,, i would have whooped his a$$!!!
I know Josh and i just would like everyone to know that he isn’t one to start problems unless someone initiated it. he ha 3 boys and one on the
way .he has been doing good and all he has been doing is taking care of his kids and his wife