A Port Hadlock man who called a Superior Court judge an “idiot” during his first court appearance two weeks ago has asked for a new judge in his case, because he is now worried about getting a fair trial.

Zachary Austin Taylor, 33, is facing charges of third-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree malicious mischief, third-degree theft, and reckless driving. 

During his initial appearance in court via a video link from the Jefferson County Jail Oct. 15, Taylor repeatedly interrupted Judge Keith Harper, telling him at one point, “Just shut up.”

Taylor’s arraignment on a raft of six charges had been scheduled for Oct. 22.

The day before his scheduled court appearance, however, Taylor’s attorney filed an “affidavit of prejudice” in the case.

“The defendant has informed me that he believes he cannot have a fair and impartial hearing before the Honorable Keith Harper, and does hereby request that this matter be heard before another judge,” attorney Jack Range said in the disqualification notice.

Because Jefferson County is a one-judge judicial system — and a court commissioner or visiting judge to be brought in to hear cases that Judge Harper cannot or will not hear — the request prompted a one-week postponement of Taylor’s arraignment after Court Commissioner Micky Forbes could not be scheduled to reside over the proceedings.

At the start of the criminal docket Friday, Harper tried to set back Taylor’s arraignment.

It quickly started to go off the rails.

“Are you Zachary Austin Taylor?,” the judge asked as Taylor stepped in front of the jailhouse video camera.

“Possibly,” Taylor said. 

Harper speedily noted the postponement and concluded the proceedings. 

“That will be all for today,” he told Taylor.

“All right, have a great day. What’s your name?” Taylor asked as a corrections officer escorted him away from the camera.

“Tell the robots I said ‘Hi,’” he shouted.

Taylor is facing charges of third-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree malicious mischief, third-degree theft, and reckless driving. 

He was arrested Oct. 14 in the parking lot of Henery Hardware in Port Townsend after he had allegedly been seen earlier damaging property outside Discovery Behavioral Health and speeding away in a green Kia Soul.

He was soon found by responding officers, laying on his car horn at the stoplight at the intersection of Sims Way and Haines Place.

After Taylor sped through the hardware store’s packed parking lot, narrowly missing parked cars and customers, he tried to drive out the back of the lot but was thwarted by two cars that were blocking his way. 

He then allegedly went into the hardware store, according to a police report, sharing an offensive hand gesture as he ran away.

Taylor was caught at the door. An employee soon came out and said that the hat on Taylor’s head was one he had stolen just before lunchtime.

While in the back of the patrol car, Taylor allegedly started cursing at officers, saying, “I’ll kill you,” and then began spitting until a spit hood was put on his head.

He eventually tore open the hood and began spitting again at an officer and at the windows and seat of the police car.

After a medical evaluation, Taylor was eventually booked into the county jail, where he remains on $10,000 bond.