Friday, Aug. 22, 2008

Man flees after falling asleep in wrong apartment

By Paula Horton, Herald staff writer

Kennewick police are looking for a man who apparently forced his way into an apartment and fell asleep.

Officers were called to the apartments at 18 S. Lyle St. just after midnight Wednesday.

The 24-year-old resident said she found her door ajar when she got home, looked inside and saw a man sleeping on the floor, said Kennewick police Sgt. Brian Swartswalter.

She alerted her neighbor and called 911. The neighbor awakened the suspect and escorted him outside, Swartswalter said.

The man ran when he heard the police sirens and was not found by officers.

The victim said the suspect appeared to be drunk, Swartswalter said.

The suspect was described as being 30-40 years old, wearing a blue jacket, black shoes and black hat. He had dirty blond hair and a pony tail.

Officers were able to lift some fingerprints from the apartment's entry way and will send them to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab for identification, Swartswalter said.

Anyone with information about the suspect should call Kennewick police at 628-0333.