State Sen. Mike Chapman intervenes in alleged assault
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 1, 2026
A 46-year-old Port Angeles man has been arrested on investigation of third-degree assault before a state senator allegedly stepped in to protect his neighbor, according to court documents.
Joseph “Wes” Beeman was booked into the Clallam County Jail on Saturday and is being investigated for third-degree assault, obstructing a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.
He was being held Tuesday on $15,000 bail.
The Port Angeles Police Department responded about 12:10 p.m. Saturday to the 1300 block of South Laurel Street, where a 71-year-old man was being kicked by a neighbor, court documents said.
Sen. Mike Chapman, D-24th District, called police to report Beeman repeatedly punched and kicked the elderly male.
The elderly male was mowing around a bush between his lawn and Beeman’s lawn when Beeman, who is 6 feet, 7 inches tall and 220 pounds, charged him and told him to get off his property, according to court documents.
Chapman, who lives across the street, told the responding officer that he heard yelling outside and looked through his dining room window and saw a mower flipped over and Beeman standing over the elderly male and kicking toward his body and head area, court documents said.
Chapman went out to intervene and jumped on top of the elderly man to protect him from Beeman, court documents said. Beeman went back to his house, then attempted to flee on foot when officers arrived. Two officers eventually arrested him, court documents said.
The elderly man had visible bruising on his face and neck, and blood was coming from his ear, the responding officer wrote in his report.
The elderly man initially declined medical attention but later said he would go to a hospital for evaluation, according court documents.
Police reviewed cellphone video and screenshots recorded by Chapman’s wife, and the officer said the images were consistent with Chapman’s account, according to court documents.
