Joshua Moen faces multiple charges after allegedly eluding police on May 20.
SHELTON, Wash — The man who took his 3-year-old son from Shelton without permission, triggering an Amber Alert last week, was charged Tuesday.
Joshua Ray Moen, 26, was charged with third-degree assault, attempting to elude police, reckless endangerment and third-degree assault. He pleaded not guilty.
A Mason County judge ordered Moen be held on $250,000 bail.
Investigators said Moen took his son after an altercation with a family member during a supervised visit around 12:30 p.m. May 20. A probable cause document says the family member told the father to leave for violating a “safety plan” with the Department of Children, Youth and Families that prohibited him from being alone with the child.
According to the probable cause document, the father then threw the 3-year-old into a back seat as the family member tried to remove him. When the family member attempted to take the boy from the vehicle, the father allegedly accelerated, throwing the family member from the car.
An officer spotted the vehicle about a half mile away.
Several hours later, a homeowner spotted the child a few miles out of town and grabbed him. The father ran away prompting a search on the ground and in the sky.
He was found a short time later in the woods after driving through a walking trail, according to police.
To ensure diverse coverage and expert insight across a wide range of topics, our publication features contributions from multiple staff writers with varied areas of expertise.
