Lonnie Jones, 43, has been charged by the King County Prosecuting Attorney with 2nd degree assault in the Nov. 11 attack on 73 year old Gregorio Tagavilla near High Point. He is being held on $100,000 bail.

The charging documents say: 

"The defendant assaulted a 73-year-old man, without provocation. The defendant knocked the victim unconscious and caused a fracture to the orbital bone. The defendant's behavior in this case coupled with his violent history present a significant danger to the community. The defendant has been convicted of Murder 2nd degree, Robbery 1st degree and Assault 3rd degree-Domestic Violence as an adult. The defendant was sentenced to 300 months for Murder 2nd degree and released around 2014. This case represents a second-strike offense for this defendant. The State believes that bail, set in the amount of $100,000 is appropriate and necessary to protect the safety of the community.

The Seattle Police say:

"This belief is predicated on the following facts and circumstances:

On November 11, 2020, at approximately 1114 hours, Officers Sagmoen and Morton were on patrol as Seattle Police Officers, when they were flagged down by a citizen in the area of 35 Avenue Southwest and Southwest Morgan, which is located in the City of Seattle, County of King and State of Washington.

The officers pulled over to assist, the call was being dispatched by radio. Seattle Fire Department was also on the way, for the report of an elderly male who had been assaulted.

Officers contacted victim G. Tagavilla and his wife M. Tagavilla. G. Tagavilla had blood all over his face and two deep lacerations on his cheek and across his nose. M. Tagavilla was confused to person, place and time and could not tell officers what had occured.

Officers interviewed the victim's wife, witness M. Tagavilla who stated she and her husband were walking and an unknown male punched her husband in the face. G. Tagavilla fell to the ground and lost consciousness for a time.

Another witness, Yuh, who works at the Food Bank, stated the suspect was the same man who had been trespassed from the Food Bank earlier in the day (2020-317219). As the witnesses were providing a description of the suspect to officers, as Jones wore distinctive black sweatpants with red on the bottom, the suspect was seen across the street.

Both witnesses identified him as the male who had assaulted G. Tagavilla. Jones was taken into custody, while inside the Food Bank.

On November 12, 2020 I spoke with M. Tagavilla. She stated her husband was at Harborview Medical Center for 12 hours. He was diagnosed with an orbital fracture and had several sutures to his face. M. Tagavilla stated they need further follow up with an eye specialist as his vision is blurry.

According to WASICINCIC, Jones is a 6-time convicted felon and has a current felony warrant for escape community custody."

In 1996, Jones, 19 at the time, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to testify in exchange for a sentence of 20 years, he was released in 2014.