Medical marijuana activist wounded in shootout
KIRKLAND, Wash. -- An outspoken medical marijuana activist said a shotgun blast from an intruder nearly took his head off during a home-invasion robbery early Monday.
Steve Sarich, who dispenses medical marijuana from his Kirkland-area home, was wounded by the blast but managed to return fire and hit one of the intruders.
He said his dogs woke him up just before 5 a.m. and he went into the living room and found four people inside his house.
One of the men fired a shotgun at Sarich, and pellets hit him in the face and leg. He said he shot back but missed and ran to his bedroom when his pistol jammed.
He said he got another handgun and shot through his glass bedroom door, wounding one of the would-be robbers.
Deputies said the 19-year-old Renton man was rushed to Harborview Medical Center where he was listed in critical condition.
King County sheriff spokesman John Urquhart said the home is known to authorities as a medical marijuana grow site.
"We're assuming that's probably the motive behind this robbery," he said. "Either for the marijuana or for the money."
A SWAT team searched the house to make sure there was no one else inside, and deputies are questioning a man who was detained a short time later a few blocks away.
Officials said a garbage truck driver spotted the man hitchhiking and thought it was suspicious, so he called police.
That suspect gave investigators the names of two others involved in the robbery attempt who had fled in a vehicle. They remained at large, sheriff's Sgt. John Urquhart said.
Sarich's neighbors said they knew he used the home as a medical marijuana clinic, and they are not surprised it could lead to violence.
"It is a danger and a concern to me," said Laurie Boritz. "My husband actually stayed home from work because of it. He didn't want me to be home alone."
People who work with Steve Sarich at the clinic said the robbery attempt will only strengthen their resolve to stay open and work to dispel what they insist are false impressions of the operation.
Some of the people who who work at the clinic also are not surprised that neighbors or criminals might get ideas.
"This isn't just like a fun grow operation, this isn't a fun medical clinic," said Michael Gresham, who volunteers at the clinic. "This is for helping people that don't have any other means of pain medication or relief from chronic illnesses that they have.
After being released from the hospital, Sarich returned to his house where he said deputies were preparing a search warrant to seize the marijuana plants that are inside.
Urquhart would say only that detectives were continuing their investigation.
The home invasion came just two days after a medical marijuana patient from Orting, Michael Howard, died of injuries sustained March 9 when robbers targeted his growing operation, according to Ben Livingston, of the Cannabis Defense Coalition.
Howard was struck in the head during the robbery, possibly with a crowbar, Pierce County sheriffs spokesman Ed Troyer said Monday. Deputies found 150 marijuana plants in a shed on the property and are investigating the case as a homicide.
Sarich said he only grows starter plants and clones in his home that are provided to patients. He himself is a patient who suffers from painful back conditions including degenerative disc disorder, he said.
Sarich said he fired shots to scare robbers during a January break-in at his home when intruders escaped with seeds, a vaporizer and pipes.
Sarich said he typically doesn't call police when his house is broken into because he doesn't want to deal with the hassle of having his home searched by law enforcement checking his compliance with the state's medical marijuana law.
"We've got to stop this," said Sarich. "This is where we draw the line, right here, my house, tonight. This is where we draw the line, and we will sue King County if they walk out of there with plants of mine."
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Steve Sarich, who dispenses medical marijuana from his Kirkland-area home, was wounded by the blast but managed to return fire and hit one of the intruders.
He said his dogs woke him up just before 5 a.m. and he went into the living room and found four people inside his house.
One of the men fired a shotgun at Sarich, and pellets hit him in the face and leg. He said he shot back but missed and ran to his bedroom when his pistol jammed.
He said he got another handgun and shot through his glass bedroom door, wounding one of the would-be robbers.
Deputies said the 19-year-old Renton man was rushed to Harborview Medical Center where he was listed in critical condition.
King County sheriff spokesman John Urquhart said the home is known to authorities as a medical marijuana grow site.
"We're assuming that's probably the motive behind this robbery," he said. "Either for the marijuana or for the money."
A SWAT team searched the house to make sure there was no one else inside, and deputies are questioning a man who was detained a short time later a few blocks away.
Officials said a garbage truck driver spotted the man hitchhiking and thought it was suspicious, so he called police.
That suspect gave investigators the names of two others involved in the robbery attempt who had fled in a vehicle. They remained at large, sheriff's Sgt. John Urquhart said.
Sarich's neighbors said they knew he used the home as a medical marijuana clinic, and they are not surprised it could lead to violence.
"It is a danger and a concern to me," said Laurie Boritz. "My husband actually stayed home from work because of it. He didn't want me to be home alone."
People who work with Steve Sarich at the clinic said the robbery attempt will only strengthen their resolve to stay open and work to dispel what they insist are false impressions of the operation.
Some of the people who who work at the clinic also are not surprised that neighbors or criminals might get ideas.
"This isn't just like a fun grow operation, this isn't a fun medical clinic," said Michael Gresham, who volunteers at the clinic. "This is for helping people that don't have any other means of pain medication or relief from chronic illnesses that they have.
After being released from the hospital, Sarich returned to his house where he said deputies were preparing a search warrant to seize the marijuana plants that are inside.
Urquhart would say only that detectives were continuing their investigation.
The home invasion came just two days after a medical marijuana patient from Orting, Michael Howard, died of injuries sustained March 9 when robbers targeted his growing operation, according to Ben Livingston, of the Cannabis Defense Coalition.
Howard was struck in the head during the robbery, possibly with a crowbar, Pierce County sheriffs spokesman Ed Troyer said Monday. Deputies found 150 marijuana plants in a shed on the property and are investigating the case as a homicide.
Sarich said he only grows starter plants and clones in his home that are provided to patients. He himself is a patient who suffers from painful back conditions including degenerative disc disorder, he said.
Sarich said he fired shots to scare robbers during a January break-in at his home when intruders escaped with seeds, a vaporizer and pipes.
Sarich said he typically doesn't call police when his house is broken into because he doesn't want to deal with the hassle of having his home searched by law enforcement checking his compliance with the state's medical marijuana law.
"We've got to stop this," said Sarich. "This is where we draw the line, right here, my house, tonight. This is where we draw the line, and we will sue King County if they walk out of there with plants of mine."
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