Coupeville man charged with felony harassment for threat to kill 8-year-old

Denver O. Hanson, 33, was charged with felony harassment after an incident in Coupeville on Jan. 23 in which he allegedly threatened to kill an 8-year-old with a hammer. Deputies arrested Hanson and found a glass pipe with small residue in his pocket at the time of arrest.

Hanson appeared in Island County Superior Court on Jan. 26 before Judge Carolyn Cliff. The judge ordered Hanson held in jail on $50,000 bail and directed him to stay at least 500 feet away from the mother and her child. Judge Cliff also found that Hanson’s mental condition warranted an interview by a mental-health professional for possible commitment to a mental-health facility.

The charge filed is described as felony harassment - threat to kill. Court paperwork states Hanson could face from one to three months in jail if convicted of the charge. That sentencing range should be confirmed with prosecutors and court clerks, as felony penalties often vary by statute and circumstance. The available records do not indicate whether the glass pipe residue has been tested, whether drug-related charges will follow, or which law-enforcement unit made the arrest; court filings and booking records will be needed to clarify those points.

The case raises immediate community concerns about child safety and how local systems respond when alleged threats involve young children. For Coupeville and Island County residents, the case spotlights several institutional processes: how criminal charges are filed and prosecuted, how courts impose conditions of release and protective measures, and how the judicial system coordinates with mental-health evaluators when judges identify potential danger to the defendant or others. The stay-away order and the ordered mental-health interview are intended to protect the alleged victim while the court resolves the criminal matter and assesses treatment needs.

This report also notes a separate, unrelated 2017 incident in which a 13-year-old in Coupeville was arrested after deputies uncovered a written “hit list” on a phone. That prior case involved a juvenile investigation and different charges and should not be conflated with the current matter involving Hanson.

What comes next: court docket entries, charging documents and the scheduled mental-health evaluation will determine the case’s path. Residents seeking clarity should watch Island County Superior Court filings for the formal charging document, the terms and duration of the protective order, any additional charges tied to the pipe or other evidence, and the outcome of the mental-health assessment. Local prosecutors, the arresting agency and the court clerk can provide official updates and the next hearing date as the case proceeds.