Clinton man charged in sword incident

A Clinton man is facing charges for allegedly trying to to push his way into a woman’s home and threatening her with a Samurai sword after mistaking her 5-year-old son for his wife, according to court documents.

The suspect, Christopher L. Locken, 33, is also accused of threatening the woman’s husband with a large spike.

Prosecutors charged Locken in Island County Superior Court July 12 with attempted burglary in the first degree and two counts of assault in the second degree.

If convicted of the charges against him, Locken could face up to six years and four months in prison under the standard sentencing range.

On July 7, a Freeland woman reported to police that Locken, an acquaintance, showed up at her door and claimed he was looking for his wife, whom he described as “the height of an 11-year-old,” “green in color” and “with a belly button.” He told the resident that he knew she was hiding his wife.

The woman didn’t know what Locken was talking about but managed to talk him into leaving and then called her husband to tell him what happened. Locken returned soon afterward, and her 5-year-old son opened the door before she could stop him.

Locken again accused the woman of hiding his wife and pointed to the boy, saying “there she is.” Locken fixated on the boy and became more agitated, the report states, causing the woman to fear for her life and the life of her son. The woman blocked Locken from getting to her son and sent the boy to his room, telling him to lock the door. As she was trying to close the door on Locken, he pulled the sword from his sleeve and raised it over his head in a threatening manner, the police report indicates.

“She felt he was going to force entry and cause great harm to her and/or her child,” the police report states.

The woman managed to close and lock the door again and Locken walked off. Locken returned once again when the woman’s husband showed up and threatened the man with a large spike, the report states.

Deputies responding to the incident found Locken walking nearby. He told a deputy that he was looking for his wife, a “midget” who is black and brown, the deputy wrote in a report.

Locken told deputies that they should have just shot him because he has “C-4 in his gut.” He denied having a sword.