Bail set at $100,000 for suspect in attack on elderly Richland woman

A man who allegedly tried to strangle his friend’s grandmother a week ago remains locked up on $100,000 bail.

Jared W. Pruitt, 26, pleaded innocent Wednesday in Benton County Superior Court to one count of second-degree assault.

The charge includes the aggravating circumstance that Pruitt knew or should have known the victim, Martha Turner, 74, of Richland, “was particularly vulnerable and incapable of resistance due to advanced age.”

Pruitt’s trial is set for Feb. 13.

It still is unclear why Pruitt allegedly attacked Turner on Dec. 21.

He went to her Adams Street home on Dec. 20, said he’d just been released from jail and asked to stay the night, according to Richland police and court documents.

Turner knew Pruitt to be a friend of her grandson. She declined his request to spend the night, but made him food.

Pruitt didn’t eat the food and left after 30 minutes.

He returned the following day and Turner let him come inside, documents said. He sat in a chair in her hallway while she painted. When she walked past him to go to the bathroom, he allegedly grabbed her and threw her to the ground.

Turner said Pruitt “placed his hands on her neck and compressed,” Deputy Prosecutor Andrew Howell wrote in court documents. “Officer (Dan) Sinkbeil reports Martha told him she thought she was going to die.”

Pruitt got up and left the house after about 10 minutes, documents said.

Turner was still on the floor and had difficulty getting up. She also said she was “fuzzy” when she called 911 for an ambulance.

Sinkbeil noted the victim had “freshly dried blood” on the right side of her neck and was unable to use her left hand when the officer arrived.

She was taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland for treatment.

Later that same day at 9:40 p.m., two Benton County sheriff’s deputies found Pruitt at a home in Benton City and immediately notified Richland police, who took him into custody.

Pruitt admitted being at Turner’s home on Dec. 20, but denied returning the next day.

Pruitt’s criminal history includes felony convictions for third-degree assault, felony harassment and second-degree burglary. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to possessing methamphetamine and was sentenced to three months in county jail.

Defense attorney Michael Vander Sys was appointed to represent Pruitt on the new case. He did not argue for lower bail during the Wednesday hearing before Judge Bruce Spanner.

Pruitt also has a state Department of Corrections hold, jail records show.

This story was originally published December 28, 2016 at 7:18 PM with the headline "Bail set at $100,000 for suspect in attack on elderly Richland woman."