By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A Tacoma woman is jailed after she reportedly used pepper spray to break up a brawl between her grown son and another man outside the Centralia Outlets yesterday afternoon then chased the subject, spraying him and two children who were with him.
Police and aid were called about 3:15 p.m. to the shopping center on the 100 block of West High Street. Tamala J. Summerhill, 53, was arrested, according to the Centralia Police Department.
“Spraying the guys to break up a fight is one thing,” Sgt. Kurt Reichert said. “But chasing him across the parking lot is a whole different ball of wax.”
As to why she used the streaming pepper spray on two boys, ages 8 and 9, she had no explanation, according to Reichert. She was arrested for two counts of third-degree child assault, he said.
It began with an exchange of words between the two males as they stood in line inside one of the stores and the 22-year-old son picking a fight when they got outside, according to police.
“The victim gets the suspect down, the female whips out the pepper spray,” Reichert said.
The 38-year-old Tumwater man got up and ran to his vehicle; she follows, he said. He and the boys were standing outside the vehicle when she let go with more pepper spray, according to Reichert.
Medics treated the patients, none were hospitalized.
Jesse E. Summerhill, 22, also of Tacoma, was arrested for misdemeanor assault, his mother was booked for the felony assaults, according to Reichert.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Mrs. Leneker, it’s pointless to argue with a fool. We all know that the mother of the 22 year old attacked children, and he refuses to see that it was wrong to do so. It’s obvious that the “father” won’t let it go. You’ll feel better when you stop letting him bother you. Please don’t let him drag you down.
My prayers are with both families.
wow….a father says: sounds to me like you have had plenty of experience defending your 22 year old son. At what point do you think about letting him grow up and accept responsibility for his actions….to run his mouth in the store where little boys can hear him….and then to wait outside the store for them to leave so that he could follow and continue his verbal attack….wow…just wow. No wonder you are so good at trying to deflect the issue…that your son and his mom should have just walked away and got in their car instead of following and then pulling out the pepper spray!
Here is what now? Regardless of who got pepper sprayed, that is a whole different issue. Corey Leneker attacked a young man and gave false statements to the police. He ripped the young mans clothing and knocked his mother down. This man is out of control. The fact that this all took place while he was caring for two small children is tragic. The fact that he would give false statements against a young man of this age is beyond ironic. Troubles are just beginning for this man.
If Corey works with young men, then he should know what they are capable of – and respect around children is capable at any age.
And who would start a fight when they are first in line? I really can’t wait for the full police report to come out, so we can all stop speculating. Even then it will prove that the GROWN WOMAN went out of her way to ATTACK CHILDREN.
A father says.. Well, I see the apple doesn’t fall far from the “big mouth” tree. The footage will show how they waited for them outside the store. A choice to wait. They could have went to their car and all would have been said and done. Choices were made and that will be the end of it. That and spraying 2 little kids with pepper spray. That’s where a bigger civil suit could take everything she owns from the other, young man’s parents. !!
Corey Leneker was the one running his mouth and the one who continued it outside. The security surveilance video will prove that and he attacked a young man. He should know better, he works with young men of this age. His actions are unexcusable and then to give false statements to the police. Shameful. He started the fight. The only way to avoid the trouble coming his way is to tell the truth. The civil suit that will follow will be financially devastating.
It was so easy for her to do what she did to that man and boys. Like it was nothing. And she works with youngsters. I hope where she works is monitored by video. I hate to think what she is like when she is in charge of a group of helpless children. Hopefully this will be the end of all that anyhow. If they let her work one more day, as it stands right now, they should be fired themselves. That woman is demented and it looks as if her son is just as bad.
in reference to the person who “a father says”…..really? do you believe what you wrote? I’m the mother of the man who was shopping with 2 8-yr olds…….the 22 yr old was running his mouth inside the NIKE store…..then he waits outside for my son and grandson to exit the store, only to confront them out side. Then when he got a taste of his own medicine his “mom” attacks the family with pepper spray. No body in their right mind would attack kids….she purposely turned the pepper spray on the boys….it wasn’t like she was being held against her will and was trying to get away. SHE ATTACKED THOSE KIDS….
a father says…were you there? if you were an independent witness, I would love to hear what you observed. frankly, I don’t care what happens to the dumb kid…I have known quite a few dumb kids who run their mouths…they usually get theirs. my issue is with the GROWN woman, who is a MOTHER herself, that saw reason? to pepper spray my child. At this time, I will take the word of my son…and he says that woman sprayed him.
“A father says,” Are you high? Those 2 Tacoma dumbasses waited for the man and 2 kids to come outside. THEY WAITED FOR THEM! You need to get your facts straight. Who sprays 2 little kids with pepper spray? Is her son such a weenie that she’s afraid 2 8 years olds can take him? Go smoke some more dope and leave the prosecution of these 2 to the justice system!
So “a father says” you are indicating that the Tumwater father is at fault for the actions of a stranger who is a 53 year old WOMAN using pepper spraying on two small children ages 8 and 9?? Personally, I don’t care WHO started it…she (in her state of mania) SPRAYED TWO kids with pepper spray…I think she is the one who needs psychological assistance and maybe some anger management or jail time to help her think about her actions. Thank god she didn’t have a gun. She might have shot them with her poor judgment and inability to control herself.
This story is untrue and will be disproved. The Tumwater man is completely at fault, it will soon come to light that he is a hot head with temper issues. This unfortunate situation was entirely his creation, his bad judgement and temper put those boys into a completely avoidable situation. Motherofboy you must realize that this man is a liar, and if allowed to continue with this lie he will be causing a lot of trouble for a young man that has never been in even one fight before this. Search your heart and think of your children and their future. This man needs help and it is your responsibility to protect yourself and children before something worse is caused by him. Ask your child to tell you what really happened. Good luck.
Punk got schooled. His mother should be ashamed of herself. She apparently didn’t teach her child to shut his mouth. My sister raised 4 children and never did she teach them to be bullies. She did teach them to defend themselves and their families, though.
What a piece of garbage, I agree with mother of boy prosecute to the fullest and then keep your ass out of our town.
It’s sort of a garbage exchange program: Centralia sends its trash to Tacoma via the LeMay family while Tacoma sends its trash to Centralia via the Summerhill family.
I could tell just by reading this, that punk from Tacoma started this! Then some stupid old bitch from Tacoma got all pissy that her shit bag son got taken down. In retaliation she decided she would hurt the little children in this Fathers care.
Why wasnt there one citizen with a concealed carry permit anywhere around to use their side arm to stop the threat to those children??
concerned citizen…thank you for your kind thoughts. it was a very unfortunate situation that could have happened anywhere…we shop in Centralia often, and this is no reflection on that community.
i think this heart breaking. those poor boys suffered through that because of an altercation in which was nothing of the doing. i give props to them for holding on strong. im sorry they had to experience in town like mine. sorry to the mother of the boy. hopefully you dont see everyone in this town as bad.
One of these little boys is my son. He explained this women continued to come after him, and his 8 year old friend, when they tried to get away. REPEATEDLY spraying them….yes, it WOULD be one thing to spray grown men in a BRAWL, but this altercation was HARDLY a brawl. A mouthy kid pushed a FATHER with TWO small children in his care, the father held the attacker to the ground, NO punches were thrown….and CHILDREN were pepper sprayed. Seriously, I understand resources are limited, but THIS woman needs to be fully prosecuted…she sprayed these kids MULTIPLE times, reaching AROUND the father trying to protect them. She had “no explanation”…of course not…there ISN’T one.