'Not guilty' in banana-suit joyride case

PORT ANGELES, Wash. – A Sequim man accused of exposing himself and brandishing a shotgun on Aug. 17 while clad in a banana costume has pleaded not guilty.

Carlton J. Kohnert, 21, faces three counts of unlawful display of a weapon, two counts of indecent exposure and one count of reckless endangerment.

Clallam County deputies said Kohnert, while wearing a full banana costume, went on a bizarre joy ride that ended with his arrest on Old Olympic Highway between Port Angeles and Sequim.

He appeared in Clallam County District Court on Friday dressed in a long-sleeved green and blue striped shirt and blue jeans.

'Facts ... unusual'
"The facts of this case are extremely unusual," said Clallam County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Lew Schrawyer, who amended Kohnert's charges before the arraignment.

A combination of the banana suit, Kohnert's actions in Port Angeles and the shotgun made the case stand out, the prosecutor said.

"I've been doing this for 29 years, and this is pretty close to the top of my list," Schrawyer said.

Kohnert, who is a Marine reservist, allegedly exposed himself to a woman at the Port Angeles Wendy's restaurant.

Original charges cited a 36-year-old and a 4-year-old who had seen him exposing himself through the car window.

Investigators' account
Sheriff's deputies said Kohnert was riding in a Dodge Stratus with Anthony M. Maybury, 21, also of Sequim, and an 18-year-old woman.

After leaving Wendy's, they went to Saar's Market just east of Port Angeles where they were seen doing burnouts in the parking lot.

From there they drove to Four Seasons Ranch, a housing development on Morse Creek, where Kohnert got out, brandished a shotgun and began yelling, "White power!" according to detectives.

State troopers and deputies followed the car onto Old Olympic Highway, where another deputy was driving from the east.

Still wearing the banana costume, Kohnert got out of the car, holding a shotgun. Deputies said he dropped the weapon when ordered to put it down.

Three of Kohnert's original reckless engagement charges were changed to unlawful display of a weapon Friday because the shotgun was not loaded.

Remaining charges
The remaining count of reckless endangerment stems from the danger that Kohnert's alleged actions posed to his passengers. The arrest was classified as a "felony take down," meaning Kohnert would have been shot had he not dropped the gun.

Maybury and the young woman were in the crossfire, prompting the charge of reckless endangerment, Schrawyer said.

Under a no-contact order issued, Kohnert must keep distance from all of the alleged victims. Kohnert posted $5,000 bail and was released one day after his arrest.

Among his conditions of release, Kohnert is not allowed to possess or own a firearm.

Also on Friday, Maybury pleaded not guilty to unlawful display of a weapon for displaying the shotgun during the incident. Maybury posted $250 bail shortly after his arrest. His next court date is Oct. 5.

Sheriff's Sgt. Randy Pieper has said Kohnert was drinking on the day of his arrest, and he couldn't explain why he was wearing the costume.

Deputies seized the banana suit, described as a child' Halloween costume, as evidence.

- The Peninsula Daily News is a media partner of KATU's sister station in Seattle.