Quick-thinking young woman calls police when arriving home to find the lights on

A man with several outstanding warrants was apprehended last Tue., April 13, by Lacey Police after he allegedly broke into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment and damaged her belongings while sending text messages, photos and videotaping himself committing the acts.

Damien Kamalani Baker, 20, was arrested after his ex-girlfriend called 911, noticing that her apartment lights were on when she arrived home that night at 12:23 a.m. She remembered turning off all of the lights prior to leaving, which she found suspicious.

Baker had two Thurston County warrants outstanding, including child molestation 2nd degree and rape of a child 3rd degree, along with other outstanding warrants in different counties. His ex-girlfriend also had a protective order against Baker at the time of his arrest.

Lacey Police set up a perimeter at 12:30 a.m., waiting for multiple units to arrive. During that time, Baker continued to send a litany of text messages to his ex-girlfriend, photo and video. And glass could be heard smashing inside the apartment.

At 12:41 a.m., Baker sent his ex-girlfriend a text message, threatening suicide.

At 12:55 a.m., Baker sent his ex-girlfriend a text message with video, suggesting that he was lighting her bed on fire.

After the initial attempt to get ahold of Baker by phone did not work for Lacey Police, they attempted other “less-lethal” methods. They began to hail Baker at 12:57 a.m. by letting him know that police were outside and that he needed to surrender. This included using a patrol car’s P.A. system.

There was movement inside the apartment, and at one point, the blinds were shut on the windows.

Lacey Police did not receive a reply, and introduced Thurston County K-9 Jacks by 1:25 a.m. After several minutes, K-9 Jacks had negative results in locating Baker.

At the time that Lacey Police entered the apartment, Baker sent a text message to his ex-girlfriend, stating that he was hiding underneath her bed and was overdosing on fentanyl.

Lacey Police discharged 20 to 30 pepper ball rounds into the bedroom but had negative results getting Baker to come out. Lacey Police searched the bedroom, determining that Baker was not underneath the bed, and instead, hiding under a blanket in a tucked-away corner of the closet in a pink laundry basket.

Baker appeared to be sleeping and unresponsive. He slowly complied to officer commands, appearing sluggish. He tried to exit the laundry basket, but instead, rolled out of it onto the closet floor and laid there. Baker immediately threw up a purple substance and appeared to be feeling the effects of the pepper balls. Baker provided passive resistance and had to be dragged from the residence by officers.

Baker told Lacey Police that he lived in the apartment for the past few months and had recently paid for April rent. He told police that the pictures he sent was an act, that he was not actually damaging his ex-girlfriend’s clothes. Baker said that he did not know his ex-girlfriend had a protection order against him and became visibly upset upon learning that him being in the residence was a residential burglary.

Baker claimed to have consumed Fentanyl pills in an attempt to commit suicide. He was transported to Providence St. Peter Hospital by ambulance to be medically cleared for booking and later was booked into the Thurston County Jail with no bond.