A 43-year-old homeless man is facing allegations of third-degree assault of a police officer for allegedly spitting on an officer after he crashed his bike during his pedal-powered getaway.

Josiah Paul Grove was booked into jail for assault on Thursday, Aug. 25 following an alleged confrontation with Port Townsend police that started after he was seen riding his bike in and out of traffic and screaming profanities at people near the ferry terminal.

Police received a call about a disorderly man downtown just after 6:30 p.m. Aug. 25, and a witness said a man wearing a blue jacket, black pants, and a beanie was yelling at people.

Officers found Grove on Water Street, according to a police report.

Police had a history of previous contacts with Grove, according to court records, and when one officer flashed his lights and yelled, “Josh, stop,” Grove allegedly responded, “That’s not my name,” and pedaled away.

Authorities noted in a probable cause statement that during earlier encounters with Grove, he had “become very aggressive when called Josiah and prefers to go by the name of Josh.”

Grove rode away from the officers on his bike, passing through cars that had to swerve to avoid hitting him, according to a police report.

At one point, Grove allegedly turned back toward downtown and started yelling at patrons at The Old Whiskey Mill restaurant as he went past.

As officers in two patrol cars tried to get Grove to stop, he rode his bike onto side streets, ignoring a police siren, eventually coming back out on Sims Way, where he went through traffic and caused a driver headed west on Sims Way to stop abruptly to avoid hitting him.

Grove rode into the parking lot of the Food Co-op and crashed his bike at the main entrance to the store, where officers took his bicycle away and arrested him.

As Grove was handcuffed, he allegedly spit on one of the officers as his pockets were being searched.

Officers then put Grove into the back of a patrol car, and as one of the officers was putting a seat belt into place, Grove allegedly spit on police again.

Grove was taken to Jefferson County Jail for booking, and continually spoke over the officer and grunted and growled as he was being read his rights, according to a probable cause statement. 

Bail was initially set at $5,000.

Grove appeared in Jefferson County Superior Court on Friday via a video link from the jail.

In addition to third-degree assault of a law enforcement officer, Grove is also facing a charge of obstructing a law enforcement officer, and disorderly conduct.

During his court appearance, Scott Charlton, Grove’s attorney, said Grove had been recently charged in district court and had undergone a competency evaluation in July that had found he was not competent.

A hearing was set Sept. 16 to review the evaluation.

Conviction of third-degree assault of a law enforcement officer can result in a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Obstructing a law enforcement officer can result in a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine upon conviction. Disorderly conduct carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.