Klickitat County Sheriff arrests The Dalles man, Underwood woman in home invasion case

On the night of January 3rd, 2017 a citizen was home alone at his residence off of Catherine Creek Road, White Salmon. An adult man and woman arrived at his front door, claiming they were having car trouble and asked to come inside and use his phone. The citizen allowed the two inside and engaged in conversation with them for a few minutes.

Suddenly, the man struck the citizen on the head with a metal club, causing substantial injury which took him to the floor. The subjects then demanded to know where any money was located. The suspects quickly located approximately $20,000 in cash. Fearing for his life, the victim then fought back against the suspects. A struggle ensued, but the victim managed to escape and run for help, at which time the suspects fled the area.

Klickitat County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene. The victim was transported by ambulance to Skyline Hospital where he was treated and later released.

As the victim did not know the identity of the suspects, a months-long investigation ensued. Through the investigative process and with the assistance of the Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory, the suspects were later identified as 38-year-old Leesa Combs of Underwood, Washington and 30-year-old Rodney George of The Dalles, Oregon.

Combs was arrested on November 17th in White Salmon. She was booked at the Klickitat County Jail on the charges of Robbery 1st Degree, Assault 2nd Degree, Burglary 1st Degree and Theft 1st Degree. She is currently incarcerated on $250,000 bail. George is in custody at the Oregon Department of Corrections on an unrelated charge, though an arrest warrant is in place and his extradition to Washington is pending.

The investigation is continuing and additional arrest(s) are expected.