Theft Suspect Charged

DAYTON - A man accused of being responsible for several break-ins and thefts in the Dayton area last November pleaded not guilty last week to all charges filed against him in Columbia County Superior Court.

Ronald Alan Rutledge escaped from Whitman County jail in November while on outdoor work duty and is accused of committing several crimes while passing through Columbia County before he was caught and arrested days later in Spokane.

The 29-year-old Spokanearea man has been charged locally with possession of a stolen vehicle, residential burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, two counts of seconddegree theft, attempted theft of a motor vehicle, making a false or misleading statement to a public servant and third-degree driving while suspended.

Rutledge had just 18 days left on a four-month sentence for burglary in Colfax when he escaped on November 20, 2010. He pleaded guilty in Whitman County to escape in the first degree, a felony, and theft in the third degree, a misdemeanor, according to Columbia County Prosecutor Rea Culwell. He was sentenced to 15 months.

All criminals sentenced to more than 12 months must serve their time in a state Department of Corrections facility, but before being sent to prison, Rutledge was brought to Columbia County to face charges here, Culwell said.

Rutledge is being held in Columbia County Jail until his next court appearance, which will be April 7 at 1:30 p.m. Bail has been set at $50,000, but if Rutledge were able to post bail, he would not go free but would continue on to the state corrections facility to serve his Whitman County conviction, Culwell said.

Based on Rutledge's criminal history, which includes four prior felonies, he is looking at a maximum of 84 months, or seven years, in prison. If the judge decides to run the sentences consecutively, however, Rutledge could serve as long as 300 months, or 25 years, Culwell said.