Locker room burglary suspect gets trial date

Locker room burglary suspect gets trial date

The trial for a man accused of trying to steal girls’ underwear from a high school locker room is slated for the week of Feb. 26.

Bradley Smithwick, 23, was arrested in the Kenai Central High School girls’ locker room just after midnight on Dec. 11 following a struggle with Kenai Police Department officers, according to court documents.

Officers responding to a break-in at the high school found several locker doors open and their contents lying on the floor, according to an affidavit filed by one of the responding officers. The officer wrote that he found Smithwick in a bathroom stall wearing a mask and holding a large white garbage bag containing women’s clothes, including bras and swimsuits.

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Smithwick initially complied with police orders, but then grabbed the officer’s Taser and attempted to take it out of his hand, resulting in a struggle, according to the affidavit.

The two responding officers then fought Smithwick in an “extended physical altercation” to get Smithwick to drop the Taser. The officers used a Taser and pepper spray on Smithwick before handcuffing him and taking him into custody, according to the affidavit.

Smithwick allegedly used a fire extinguisher stolen from a school bus to break into the school building and lockers, according to the affidavit.

Smithwick is charged with one count of burglary in the second degree, a class C felony; one count of theft in the third degree, a class A misdemeanor; one count of resisting arrest, a class A misdemeanor; two counts of assault in the third degree, a class C felony; criminal mischief in the fourth degree, a class A misdemeanor; criminal mischief in the third degree, a class C felony; and two counts of assault in the fourth degree, a class A misdemeanor.

Smithwick is also facing concurrent charges of burglary in the second degree, a class C felony; one count of criminal mischief in the third degree, a class C felony; criminal mischief in the fourth degree, a class A misdemeanor; and criminal trespass in the second degree, a class B misdemeanor, related to an incident that took place at Kenai Central High School on Nov. 25.

Bail was set at $5,000.

Reach Erin Thompson at news@peninsulaclarion.com.

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