Hanford worker charged with harassment for alleged ‘hit list’

A Hanford worker who allegedly claimed to have a “hit list” over denied medical claims has been ordered to stay away from a number of job-related sites.

Dominick S. Furino, 57, was released from the Benton County jail shortly before 6 p.m. Friday.

The west Pasco man posted bond just hours after pleading innocent in Benton County Superior Court to one count of felony harassment.

During the hearing, Deputy Prosecutor Andrew Howell recommended the court set bail at $10,000.

Howell said since Furino’s Sept. 2 arrest, his office has received a number of calls from officials at the Hanford site and the Department of Energy with concerns about the safety of employees.

Attorney Norma Rodriguez, hired by Furino, asked that her client be released on his personal recognizance while awaiting his Nov. 7 trial. He has no felony convictions.

Judge Alex Ekstrom set bail at $7,500 but, given the seriousness of the allegations, has prohibited Furino from having access to Hanford.

Furino reportedly is a laborer for CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co. He also must stay away from the following Richland locations: HPMC Occupational Medical Services and adjacent contractor facilities; Penser North America; the Federal Building, specifically the offices of DOE and Hanford contractors, the Internal Revenue Service, Veterans Affairs and Sen. Maria Cantwell; and the Stevens Center Complex.

A woman who handles medical claims for the Department of Energy called Richland police Sept. 1 after hearing from an employee that Furino communicated a desire to kill co-workers, doctors and state Department of Labor & Industries employees, court documents show.

Police met with that employee, who said Furino talked to him about medical claims related to mercury poisoning and how he was upset they were denied.

Furino told the man his hit list contained about 20 names of people who “have done him wrong in regards to his medical issues,” documents said.

He allegedly wanted to get all the doctors from Seattle, Spokane and the Tri-Cities in one room and “blow their heads off.”

The man told police he was afraid to report Furino because of possible repercussions, but added that he believed Furino was “the real deal,” court documents said.

Furino allegedly told the man he did not plan to commit suicide after killing everyone on the list “because he wants to stand in front of a judge and tell him why he did what he did.”

Investigators searched his home, vehicle and cellphone, but did not find the reported “kill list,” documents said.

This story was originally published September 9, 2016 at 7:48 PM with the headline "Hanford worker charged with harassment for alleged ‘hit list’."