Examiner The Whidbey
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Thursday, September 3, 2015
VOL. 21, NO. 04
Water Fest organizers fear the end may be near By Megan Hansen Co-Editor
Organizers of the Penn Cove Water Festival are looking for new blood to take over the long-running Coupeville event. And if new volunteers cannot be found, the event may come to an end. “We have a lot of people who don’t want to continue after the 25th anniversary,” said Vicky Reyes, Water Festival president. “We would have to consider suspending it (if volunteers aren’t found) and have to wait to see if it resurrects.” The Water Festival’s 25th anniversary is in May 2016. Reyes said an informational meeting is being planned for 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20 at Coupeville Town Park with the hopes of drumming up interest. “There are people who’ve been doing it who are willing to do it for one more year to mentor incoming volunteers,” Reyes said. There are about 20 volunteers who
See SCHOOL, Page 5
School year off to strong start Monday By Ron Newberry Staff reporter
Jessie Stensland photo
Paul Schmakeit appears in Island County Supeior Court Monday with attorney Craig Platt. He’s accused of burglary and assault in an incident that left a man paralyzed.
$100K bail for Coupeville grad Men face charges for burglary that paralyzed man By Jessie Stensland Co-Editor
Since she’d been through this before, Jennifer Wallace didn’t expect such a strong tug on her heart. But, more than once, that tug kept Wallace from leaving her daughter’s side Monday on the first day of school at Coupeville Elementary School. “Bye mommy,” Sydney Wallace said to her mom from her seat in Diane Skaley’s second-grade classroom. Her mom returned to rub her cheek one more time. “I didn’t want to go,” she said. Nerves and emotions that come with the start of a new school year were on display Monday as Coupeville opened its doors a week earlier than other school districts on
See SCHOOL, Page 2
A second young Coupeville man was arrested in connection with a July 27 burglary that left a resident paralyzed. Codie Burley, 19, was arrested Saturday at his home — where he allegedly tried to flee with his infant daughter — and is being held in jail on $150,000 bail. Monday, the other suspect, 20-year-old Paul Schmakeit, appeared in Island County Superior Court. He’s facing first-degree burglary and second-degree assault charges. His attorney, Craig Platt of Coupeville, asked the judge to reduce his bail from $150,000 to $500 on the condition that he be placed on electronic home monitoring. Platt explained that Schmakeit has very strong ties to the Coupeville community. He graduated from Coupeville High School in
2013, was a Boy Scout and worked at the grocery store. After school, he had been working at Whidbey Island Bank until he quit to start college, Platt said. “The allegations have struck everyone as being very out of character,” he said. Platt also pointed out that bail was originally set when he was arrested on suspicion of more serious charges. He said the allegations were serious, but there was no evidence of malice or forethought; he said it was “best described as an accident,” apparently referring to the assault. Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Eric Ohme, however, said that a high bail was appropriate because Schmakeit fled to Canada — and allegedly blew through the border with a handgun — after law enforcement was closing in on him. Ohme suggested that bail be reduced to
$100,000; Judge Alan Hancock agreed. A deputy’s report on Burley provides new details about the crime. The victim, 68-year-old Dennis Phillips, was confronted by a man — later identified as Schmakeit — inside his Greenbank home, the report states. Phillips grabbed a shovel and went after the intruder. He later told detectives that Schmakeit tackled him to the ground, landing on top of him, the deputy’s report states. Phillips was unable to move or feel his legs and was on his back for about five hours until a friend rescued him and called the police. He suffered from a prior back injury and was left paralyzed by the assault, according to the report.
See CRIME, Page 5