Man charged for vandalizing Sound Transit’s Auburn Station

The man allegedly broke several large windows, which cost thousands to replace.

A man is scheduled to be arraigned for allegedly throwing rocks and damaging Sound Transit property in Auburn, according to King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg’s office.

The defendant, Robert Rhodes, is being accused of first degree malicious mischief for allegedly causing over $5,000 in damage to multiple bus shelters owned by Sound Transit, according to court records.

At around midnight on Oct. 13, a security guard contracted by Sound Transit saw a man sleeping on one of the benches at Auburn Station, according to charging documents. The guard then woke the man up from his slumber and told him to leave, according to charging documents.

The man said he was waiting for a train and the guard told the man no trains were coming, and according to the Sound Transit schedule, the first train was set to arrive in Auburn a few hours later.

The man allegedly threatened the guard and refused to leave the station, at which point the guard contacted her supervisor in order to initiate a police response, according to the charging documents.

The guard then recorded video of the man throwing rocks, smashing several windows before walking off the property to Main Street, according to charging documents. While he was on Main St., the man was contacted by King County Sheriff’s Office deputies, who had the guard positively identify the man as the person who threw the rocks.

The guard pointed out a bag on the ground and told deputies that the man was using the bag as a pillow while he was sleeping, according to charging documents. The deputies searched the bag and found a photo ID with the name Robert Rhodes, according to the charging documents.

The court set bail at $1,500 claiming Rhodes is a flight risk due to his Alabama ID.

Approximately 12 window panes were broken, which will cost over $20,000 to repair, according to the charging documents.