Rochester, Chehalis Men Accused of Attempting to Rob Couple at Gunpoint in Centralia - Centralia Chronicle

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com 

Two Lewis County men are facing assault charges after they were identified as suspects in an attempted armed robbery that occurred in Centralia on March 1. 

The incident reportedly occurred outside a motel on Belmont Avenue, according to court documents. The victims, a man and a woman, told police that a silver car pulled up to them just as they arrived at the motel. The driver of the vehicle, who was later identified as Brandon Lee Caley, 24, of Rochester, then allegedly approached the couple, "showed them he had a firearm in his waistband and asked (the male victim) what he had in his pockets," according to court documents. 

The woman said she offered Caley money, but Caley allegedly pointed the firearm, described as "a large pistol," at the man. 

"She said (Caley) then pointed the firearm at her face and she believed she was going to get shot," according to court documents. 

The woman reportedly hit Caley, causing him to drop the firearm. She reportedly picked it up, but the passenger in the vehicle Caley arrived in — later identified as Damien James Eugene Madison, 23, of Chehalis — allegedly "struck her on the back of the head, causing her to drop the firearm," according to court documents. Madison then allegedly picked up the firearm. 

Both Caley and Madison then allegedly proceeded to "beat and punch (the man) while he was on the ground," according to court documents. 

The woman said she used pepper spray on Caley and Madison, and said "they eventually left in their vehicle after realizing people were calling the police." 

Law enforcement interviewed multiple witnesses at the scene who had similar stories to the one relayed by the victims, according to court documents. One witness reportedly said "he felt threatened and believed the firearm was real because of his previous experience as a Marine," according to court documents. 

Two of the witnesses reportedly had direct past contact with both Caley and Madison, according to court documents. However, when the victims were presented a photomontage including Madison's photo, they both said Madison was not the passenger in the vehicle. Because of that, investigators requested further investigation be conducted before Madison was charged with crimes related to the incident. 

Caley was charged with two counts of first-degree attempted robbery, five counts of second-degree assault and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm on March 9. He was arrested on a $150,000 warrant that same day and was booked into the Lewis County Jail. 

He had a preliminary appearance hearing scheduled for March 10 but reportedly refused to appear because he was "under the weather," according to a message from jail staff that was relayed to the court through defense attorney Rachael Tiller. 

The hearing was rescheduled for Friday, March 11, and Judge James Lawler opted to impose a no-bail hold until the hearing. 

Madison was charged with two counts of second-degree assault and one count of fourth-degree assault on March 10. A warrant has been issued for his arrest, but he was not in custody at the Lewis County Jail as of Thursday evening. 

Rochester, Chehalis Men Accused of Attempting to Rob Couple at Gunpoint in Centralia - Centralia Chronicle