Woman bites and fends off attacker on WSU Spokane campus

Spokane police arrested a man accused of brazenly attacking a woman in the heart of the Washington State University Spokane campus in broad daylight Thursday.

The woman told police that as she left her job in the WSU Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences building and walked to her car during the lunch hour, she passed a man wearing a fluorescent jacket. She thought he was a worker as he made eye contact with her and smiled.

As she placed items inside her car, the man police identified as 27-year-old Michael Trout grabbed her from behind, spun her around and then clasped his hands around her throat and squeezed while trying to force her to the ground.

The woman told police she scratched at his face and then bit into his hand.

He let go and fled but left behind items identifying him as well as some of his clothing.

Within 90 minutes, police found Trout leaving an apartment in the 500 block of East Everett Avenue and arrested him, according to court documents.

He is jailed in lieu of a $40,000 bond on suspicion of second-degree assault.

It’s the second time Trout has been arrested for randomly attacking women in public places.

Two years ago, police arrested him for tackling and trying to strangle a woman taking a morning walk on the Centennial Trial near Kendall Yards, according to a previous Spokesman-Review story.

That woman was able to wrestle free and report that she had been attacked.

Trout pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in that attack and was sentenced to nine months in jail and one year of probation. He was also ordered to undergo an evaluation for substance abuse disorder and mental health.

During Trout’s first court appearance Friday, Spokane County Superior Court Commissioner Anthony Rugel noted the “remarkable similarity” between the two attacks and was concerned about the “pattern of behavior.”

Trout’s sister told Rugel her brother has autism. She said Trout needs someone to supervise him at all times.

“He needs help,” she said.

She said he will lose his room at a sober living facility he’s staying at if he remained incarcerated. After Rugel set the $40,000 bond, the sister told the court and her brother she will collect his belongings from the facility.

Trout was found to be competent and able to understand court proceedings in regards to his assault in 2022.

Trout is scheduled for an arraignment Oct. 29 for Thursday’s alleged attack.