Man accused of striking two people inside Centralia gym before patrons restrained him

Bail is set at $75,000 for a man who allegedly refused to leave Thorbeckes Wellness Center in Centralia and assaulted two people before gym patrons restrained him on Wednesday.

Mario S. Rodriguez, 31, of Chehalis, is accused of following a Thorbeckes employee into the gym, located at 2020 Borst Ave., to ask if the employee “had any weed,” according to charging documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court on Thursday.

When told to leave the gym, Rodriguez allegedly “kept placing his hands on (the employee) by grabbing his sweatshirt and pulling on it.”

He then allegedly “pushed the employee against the wall,” at which point the employee reportedly “punched Rodriguez in the head to get him off of him,” according to court documents. Other people in the gym reportedly separated the two parties and told Rodriguez to leave.

Rodriguez began exiting the building, but before leaving, he allegedly “turned around and started swinging his fists, trying to hit anyone in his proximity,” according to court documents.

Gym patrons then took Rodriguez to the ground and restrained him until officers with the Centralia Police Department arrived.

Two people sustained minor injuries in the altercation, according to court documents.

Officers were dispatched at 9:35 p.m. on Sept. 4, according to Centralia Police Department call logs. Lewis County Jail records indicate Rodriguez was booked into the jail at 1:15 a.m. on Sept. 5.

Rodriguez was charged with one count each of fourth-degree assault and second-degree burglary in Lewis County Superior Court on Thursday. Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 12.