Man who wore birthday suit to Ballard Locks now in jail

The Seattle man who was caught in his birthday suit earlier this month at Ballard Locks has ended up in a King County Jail. Robert Watson, 43, was charged in King County Superior Court with indecent exposure after being arrested at approximately 5 p.m. on November 6 at Ballard Locks.

According to a Seattle PI report, charging papers still point to one final mystery: the location of Robert Watson’s clothes.

SPD officers were called to Ballard Locks after a couple who were walking with their baby daughter reported that a naked man was walking through the northern area of the park. According to Seattle PI, Watson did not approach the couple, who told SPD officers that he was making an attempt to hide himself with his hands. Watson is not alleged to have exposed himself to the couple. After Watson was arrested, SPD officers then made an unsuccessful attempt to search for his clothes.

According to the Seattle PI report, Watson was previously convicted of indecent exposure 18 years ago and could, as a repeat offender, now be convicted of the felony version of the charge. However, although Watson does not have any felony convictions, his record currently has pending harassment and misdemeanour assault charges which were brought about by an incident at Commodore Park on the Magnolia side of the Locks on June 6.

Seattle PI reports that on June 6 Watson allegedly confronted a tour bus driver who was urinating in an area of the park. “Prosecutors contend Watson – presumably bothered by the man’s park peeing – followed the driver back to his bus, prompting the driver to call 911. According to the driver’s account, Watson pulled a knife and demanded the driver call off the police,” writes Levi Pulkkinen from Seattle PI.

Watson then, according to charge papers, pushed a bystander who was attempting to intervene and when the bystander drew a pistol Watson walked away.

Watson is currently in jail and has been charged with fourth-degree assault and felony harassment for the incident at Commodore Park. According to Seattle PI, Watson has plead not guilty in the case and has also not yet entered a plea to the alleged indecent exposure incident at Ballard Locks.

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