After a 4th of July gathering, a Port Angeles woman forgot to reactivate her outdoor camera motion sensors. Hours later, a man climbed her fire escape and tried to enter her condo while she slept inside. The intruder? A known offender who would be identified within hours by county commissioner candidate Jake Seegers. What is incumbent Commissioner Mike French’s suggestion for the resident’s safety concerns? Join a Facebook group.
The July 5 Intrusion
On the morning of July 5, the woman’s downstairs neighbor, out of town, received motion alerts from her own cameras and notified her. Reviewing the footage gave the resident chills: a man with a dog had scaled the fire escape to her fourth-floor unit, spent time casually on her deck, and attempted to open her door.
She called police just after 6:30 a.m.
This was not an isolated event. The resident had previously written to the county commissioners, describing the “vortex of crime” surrounding her home above Country Aire. The area — roughly triangulated by the Lincoln Street “UnSafeway,” the County’s Health and Human Services building, and the Harm Reduction Center — has become notorious for repeated break-ins, illegal encampments, public drug use, and violent incidents.
Police had been called multiple times. Cameras had captured prior attempts. Yet meaningful change never materialized.
Commissioner Mike French’s Response
Of the three commissioners, only Mike French replied to the resident’s email seven months ago. His suggestions: keep filing police reports (what she had already done for years with no relief), highlight the Downtown Resource Officer position, and — notably — join a Neighborhood Watch Facebook group.
Seven months later, after the July 5 prowling, the resident reached out again to city and county leaders.
The Resident’s Plea for Accountability
In letters to Port Angeles City Council, the Chief of Police, all three county commissioners, and Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry, she detailed the recurring pattern of trespassing, theft, and illegal camping.
She supports additional public safety funding but demands visible enforcement of existing laws. She shared the video with local advocates, including Jake Seegers. Seegers identified the man within hours and reported his location to police.
Jake Seegers in Action
That same morning, Seegers spotted the man — later identified as Michael Severson — downtown near 1st and Marine Drive.
Severson was collecting rocks (behavior often linked to methamphetamine use) with his small black dog.“
Excuse me,” Seegers said. “You better not be up on the balcony again. You know what I’m talking about, right?”
“I do, yeah,” the man replied.
When asked about the location, he said, “Top? Middle? I don’t know where I was, I forgot,” then laughed and agreed not to return.
Police later contacted Severson, trespassed him from the property for three years, and the resident filed charges for attempted burglary. Yet he faced no immediate custody or meaningful consequences.
The Pattern Continues
July 12, just after midnight: At the Marathon Gas Station at First and Lincoln, Michael Severson allegedly returned to the store after earlier threatening the clerk over a vape. According to the police report, he again demanded an e-cigarette, told the attendant, "If you don't give me a vape, I will kill you," then pounded on the counter before punching the store's windows and front door, damaging the automatic door closer.
The clerk told officers he feared for his life and backed away while calling 911. Severson was arrested on felony harassment and third-degree malicious mischief charges. As officers handcuffed him, he reportedly remarked, "Oh cool I'll get it reduced. It'll probably just be a misdemeanor and they'll throw it out in court." He was released by the prosecutor the following afternoon.
July 14, mid-morning: At another gas station, Severson entered, asked for water, then threw the cup at the attendant, threatened her (“she was gonna get what she deserved”), and brandished a stick and metal pipe. Police issued another three-year trespass. No arrest.
Read this report from the bottom up.
Days later, a welfare check was requested for Severson at the Gateway Transit Center.
Official Responses
Dr. Allison Berry replied that harm reduction programs are not associated with increased crime in studies, emphasized root causes like poverty, and suggested trespassing the individual and contacting law enforcement.
The resident respectfully pushed back, citing Chief Smith’s statements on drug-related crime and the visible conditions around county-managed facilities.
Time for Consequences and Leadership
Clallam County has become a destination of least resistance: outdoor camping tolerated, drug paraphernalia distributed, soft responses to repeat offenders. For an economically challenged county, this drains resources and discourages investment.
Small business owners and new residents need to know their investments and safety are protected. Throwing water in a shopkeeper’s face or prowling homes while residents sleep cannot remain low-consequence activities.
Public safety must come first. When you are the victim, the incumbent tells you to join a Facebook group. But his challenger tracks the criminal down in a matter of hours.
This isn’t theory. It’s footage, police reports, booking records, and lived experience in Port Angeles right now.
It’s time for change.
Today’s Tidbit: Socialist Ballot Printing Update
CC Watchdog correspondent Christine Winans covered yesterday’s ballot printing event at Jessie Webster Park near Swain’s. She captured this image of Bradley Callaway, the socialist candidate for State Representative, staffing a table offering voter registration and replacement ballots.
According to Winans, over the course of two hours, only one person approached the table. “She left when she realized they weren’t giving out freebies,” Winans reported.
Oh, and Christine also brought her trailer to the event.
It’s time for CC Watchdog to host an annual award ceremony recognizing outstanding civic engagement. Our first nomination goes to Christine Winans.
