Cop Goes Home Wearing Monitor Newport Officer Awaiting Arraignment On Assault Charges

A Newport police officer was released from jail Monday after posting a $15,000 cash bond and agreeing to be electronically confined to his home while awaiting arraignment on charges that he repeatedly assaulted his girlfriend and that he hid a fellow officer’s patrol car.

Officer Mike Barnes, 31, also surrendered his cellular telephone and agreed to cooperate with efforts to block his regular telephone from calling his former girlfriend, Bobbie Jo Hydorn, 25, or her mother, Jo Thompson. Barnes is to pay for his electronic monitoring.

He had been free without bail, but was jailed Feb. 15 for allegedly telephoning Hydorn in violation of the terms of his release. Defense and prosecution attorneys declined to reveal what Barnes said to Hydorn.

Pend Oreille County Sheriff Doug Malby also declined to spell out the allegations, but said he arrested Barnes on short notice because of concerns about Hydorn’s safety.

“The prosecutor and the investigator in the case were both very concerned about the safety of the victim,” Malby said.

Defense attorney Phillip Wetzel said in court Monday that Barnes anticipated one of the potential witnesses in the case will attempt to contact him. Wetzel said Barnes would reject the contact and report it to authorities if it happens. He declined to elaborate.

District Court Judge Chuck Baechler offered to issue a no-contact order against the witnesses, but Deputy Prosecutor Mike Carbone said none has been subpoenaed so far. Baechler instead ordered Carbone to warn potential witnesses, including Hydorn, not to call or visit Barnes.

Barnes is to be arraigned March 5 on one count of third-degree domestic assault, two counts of fourth-degree domestic assault, one count of second-degree malicious mischief and one count of obstructing a law enforcement officer.

He remains on paid leave, but City Administrator Delphine Palmer said the city will soon initiate a civil service process that could lead to his dismissal. Barnes will be asked to tell city officials his side of the story, either orally or in writing.

After Barnes has had an opportunity to defend himself, Mayor Dee Opp will be free to fire him, cut off his pay or leave his status unchanged.

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