The Wilcox Chronicles

Frank Malone

Alright, folks, welcome to another episode of Felony Stop.

Dr. Evan Carter

Yes, and thank you for joining us! Whether you’re new here or you’ve been with us since day one, we’re thrilled to have you along for this ride.

Frank Malone

Yep, and if you're here expecting roses and happy endings, you might wanna buckle up. This isn’t that kind of story.

Dr. Evan Carter

Frank’s being Frank, of course. But seriously, we’ve got a fascinating case to dive into today—and it’s one that really highlights some, well, let’s say colorful moments in human behavior.

Frank Malone

Colorful’s one way to put it. Me? I’d probably just call it a mess.

Dr. Evan Carter

And messy it is, but before we dive in, we just wanted to say how much we appreciate all the love and support we’ve been getting on this podcast. Your comments and messages—they really keep us going. We couldn’t do this without you.

Frank Malone

Yeah, what he said. I don’t usually go all sentimental, but seeing you folks actually care about this stuff, well, it means something. So, thanks for sticking around.

Dr. Evan Carter

We especially loved some of the comments from our last episode. Let’s bring up one that really cracked us up. A listener named Julie wrote, “Frank, do you ever actually smile, or does Dr. Carter do it for both of you?”

Frank Malone

Yeah, Julie, for the record, I do smile—every time Carter here trips over one of his long-winded theories.

Dr. Evan Carter

Oh, come on! That only happened once—or twice. Okay, maybe three times. I’ll work on it. But seriously, I thought that was hilarious. Keep the comments coming, folks—we love getting them, and who knows, we might just read yours next.

Dr. Evan Carter

And some of you had some really thoughtful questions, too. Like Tony, who asked, “What makes someone snap like that? Is it something anyone’s capable of?”

Frank Malone

Good question, Tony. Y’know, in my years on the force, I’ve seen some folks do things you’d think were way out of character. It’s like pressure builds and, bam, they’re not themselves. But that’s more Carter’s playground, right?

Dr. Evan Carter

Absolutely, Frank. And that’s exactly the kind of question we’ll touch on in episodes like today’s. What drives someone to act out, especially in such chaotic and extreme ways? Is it a split-second impulse or a slow burn? We’re going to explore those layers bit by bit.

Frank Malone

Right. So let’s not keep ’em waiting. Enough small talk. Let’s dig into this case and see just how messy a human train wreck can get.

Frank Malone

Alright, enough teasing, folks. Let’s get into the thick of it. July twentieth, twenty twenty-two. Port Townsend. It’s just after three in the morning, and things are about to take a sharp left.

Dr. Evan Carter

That’s right—this is when William Leroy Wilcox, the centerpiece of this story, was arrested. But make no mistake, this wasn’t your average apprehension. We’re talking chaos, confusion, and, well, a chipped tooth.

Frank Malone

Yeah, poor guy. Not Wilcox. The officer. A chipped tooth and probably a hell of a headache to go with it.

Dr. Evan Carter

Right, and that moment—when Wilcox, uh, allegedly, punches the officer in the jaw—is just the climax of a much bigger mess that began earlier that night. Let’s rewind a bit.

Frank Malone

Yeah, so this circus starts at a McDonald’s patio. Wilcox is reportedly... “acting erratically.” That’s cop code for waving around a knife, doing what the report calls “tricks.” Now, I don’t know what kind of tricks you can pull off with a blade, but I’m guessing it wasn’t child’s magic show material.

Dr. Evan Carter

Right. And from there, he moves on to Kah Tai Lagoon, just across the street. The park’s closed after dark, by the way, but Wilcox doesn’t seem too worried about rules at this point. He’s approached by an officer and—oh, here’s where it gets interesting—he gives a fake name. “William McCann.” Plausible, but false.

Frank Malone

Sure. Every cop’s heard their share of fake names, but when they don’t match anything in the system? Red flag. So what does Wilcox do next? He takes off running.

Dr. Evan Carter

Of course, right? Why stick around when things aren’t going your way? But here’s the kicker—this wasn’t just one, clean getaway. Wilcox doubles back, circles the park, even grabs a bottle of Gatorade off some poor guy's picnic table just to keep going.

Frank Malone

Yeah, Brian Burroughs, if you’re listening, hats off for keeping your cool while a random dude snatches your drink. Most folks would lose it right there, but not you.

Dr. Evan Carter

Exactly. Eventually, though, Wilcox crosses paths with the same officer again. They’re near Kearney and Blaine Streets, and this time things escalate—fast.

Frank Malone

Yeah. The officer tries to take him down, even uses a Taser. Twice. No effect. Wilcox resists, gets one arm free, and—bam—throws a punch. A haymaker, no less, right to the officer’s jaw. That tooth? Say goodbye.

Dr. Evan Carter

Oof. And from there, it’s another chase. Wilcox flees into the park again, but backup’s already closing in. When they finally catch him, he’s got scratches all over from tearing through the woods, and he’s somehow still shouting accusations like he’s the one being wronged.

Frank Malone

Sounds about right. And when it’s all said and done, they charge him with the works—assault on an officer, resisting arrest, providing a false name, trespassing... Oh, and don’t forget that stolen Gatorade.

Dr. Evan Carter

A very expensive Gatorade now, given the circumstances. But the big question here—and what I think we really want to unpack—is, what drives someone to behave like this? Erratic actions, aggression, fleeing from officers... It’s like a perfect storm of poor choices and heightened emotions.

Frank Malone

Or maybe just a guy hopped up on something he shouldn’t have been. But hey, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Frank Malone

Alright, let’s take a closer look at where it all kicked off—the McDonald’s patio. We touched on this earlier, but imagine it: you’re settling in with your late-night snack, and suddenly there’s Wilcox, wielding a razor blade, calling it “tricks.” Not exactly dinner entertainment, right?

Dr. Evan Carter

Right, and not just any knife tricks, either. We’re talking something disruptive enough to scare employees into avoiding him altogether. That says a lot. The fear instinct in bystanders isn’t something that just comes out of nowhere—it’s a response to a perceived threat. And here, they clearly saw one.

Frank Malone

Yeah, they called the cops, and spoiler alert—the cops show up. First thing they ask? The usual: what’s your name, buddy? And our friend Wilcox says, “William McCann.” You know, a random name that rolls off the tongue but doesn’t actually exist in any database. If I had a dollar for every fake name I heard on the job…

Dr. Evan Carter

It’s classic deflection, Frank. When someone’s cornered, giving a fake name buys them a little time to think—or at least that’s Wilcox’s logic here. Psychologically, though, there’s more to it. Providing a false identity, especially while visibly agitated, is often a sign of fight-or-flight instincts kicking in.

Frank Malone

Well, he definitely chose “flight” that night. Cops let him go at first—no cause to hold him from what I see. He walked off. Probably seemed like all was calm. Now, Carter, back me up here, should they have detained him just because of the knife?

Dr. Evan Carter

It’s tricky. In theory, allowing him to leave seems reasonable—after all, displaying a blade isn’t inherently a crime. But, based on his unpredictable behavior and stress signals, an intervention might’ve been safer. It’s a tough spot for law enforcement, honestly.

Frank Malone

Sounds like you’re playing Monday-morning quarterback to me, doc. But hey, speaking of unpredictable, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen a guy like this. Reminds me of a guy years back—he was juggling street signs he’d pulled out of the ground. Did a bit of a dance, swore he was auditioning for the circus. Long story short, mental health plus meth equals things you don’t wanna mess with.

Dr. Evan Carter

Exactly. And Wilcox’s behavior at McDonald's fits a similar mold. Erratic movements, unwillingness to engage meaningfully—that’s textbook paranoia. But even deeper than that, here’s a man spinning out of control, likely driven by a combination of substance use and underlying psychological issues. It’s like a fire that’s just waiting to erupt.

Frank Malone

And erupt it did. The very next night, he’s spotted tearing around Kah Tai Lagoon like a rabbit dodging a hawk. The officer sees him again, same guy in a closed park. It’s dark, Wilcox shouldn’t be there, and when the officer tries to get a straight name out of him, guess what? More B.S. And that’s where the real chase begins.

Dr. Evan Carter

But this initial encounter at McDonald's is key. It’s the first glimpse of the downward spiral. Wilcox, already in over his head, is starting to make a series of poor, reactive decisions. And it raises a compelling question—what could’ve been done here to change the course of the next twenty-four hours?

Frank Malone

Or, if you ask me, was there anything cops really could’ve done to stop the time bomb from going off? Sometimes, people just keep digging deeper into their hole, no matter the warnings. But hold that thought—we’re only getting started here.

Frank Malone

So, following that first glimpse at the McDonald's, it didn’t take long for the spiral to pick up speed. This wasn’t just one of those routine trespassing calls the next night. Nope, it turned into the kind of chaos that officers will be swapping stories about over coffee for years to come.

Dr. Evan Carter

Right, Frank. It all started with Officer Fudally approaching Wilcox after seeing him in a park after hours. A misdemeanor infraction on paper, sure, but Wilcox doesn’t exactly help his case. He gives yet another fake name. At this point, that lie probably felt bigger than the park itself.

Frank Malone

"William McCann," he claims. Solid name, real confident delivery. Except it doesn’t exist. And lemme tell you, cops know when a name’s fake. It’s a gut thing. Doesn’t show up in the system? That’s strike one. But Wilcox… Wilcox doesn’t stick around long enough for strikes two and three. He bolts.

Dr. Evan Carter

Classic flight response, isn’t it? The moment stress ramps up, he makes the split-second decision to run. Here’s the thing about someone like Wilcox—when survival instincts override rational thought, they go all-in. Plus, add the likelihood of substance impairment, and you’re looking at someone operating purely on adrenaline and impulse.

Frank Malone

Yeah, adrenaline alright. He runs, doubles back, circles the park—this isn’t your average sprint for freedom. And somewhere in there, he swipes a Gatorade right off some guy’s table. Like, who does that? It’s almost... surreal.

Dr. Evan Carter

It’s desperation, plain and simple. Basic needs—getting hydrated, fueled—mixed with chaos. He’s not planning; he’s reacting. But look at the bigger picture, Frank. The fake name, the erratic running, the random theft—it all screams someone trying to cling to control in a pretty out-of-control way.

Frank Malone

Control? This guy was spiraling, spinning wheels, flinging mud everywhere. Eventually, Fudally catches up with him near Kearney and Blaine Streets. And here’s where it goes from “messy” to outright dangerous. Officer tries to arrest him, and our friend Wilcox doesn’t take too kindly to that.

Dr. Evan Carter

No understatement there! Wilcox resists, and things escalate fast. Officer Fudally tries a Taser—twice—but there’s no effect. That’s when Wilcox gets free enough to throw a punch. A haymaker, they called it, straight to Fudally’s jaw. One chipped tooth later, and the situation’s officially out of hand.

Frank Malone

Yeah, and for an officer, that’s a nightmare moment. You’re already dealing with a guy who’s unpredictable, amped up on—what, maybe meth?—and now you’re injured mid-scrap. Your body’s screaming at you to retreat, but you know you’ve got to see it through before someone else gets hurt.

Dr. Evan Carter

Exactly. Wilcox, on the other hand, isn’t slowing down. He bolts again, this time into the park where he’s eventually cornered. By now there’s backup, and the law catches up to him. But even in custody, Wilcox is shouting accusations and playing the victim. It’s an almost defiant refusal to accept reality.

Frank Malone

Yeah, because nothing says “innocence” like running through the woods, shirt ripped, screaming bloody murder. It’s a bad look any way you slice it. And when the dust settles, they’re piling on charges—everything from the trespass to assault, and more.

Dr. Evan Carter

What’s fascinating to me is how a confrontation like this snowballs so quickly. It’s like each poor decision feeds into the next—a chain reaction of bad outcomes. And yet, underneath it all, you have to wonder about the root cause. Is it desperation? Addiction? A deeper psychological struggle?

Frank Malone

Could be all of the above, honestly. But the way I see it—and I’ve chased down my fair share of guys—sometimes it’s just a case of cornered animal logic. Scratch, bite, and run until you either get away or someone puts a stop to it.

Dr. Evan Carter

And what a chaotic stop it was. But Frank, here’s my question: could all of this—the chipped tooth, the chase, even Wilcox’s wild fight—have been avoided if someone had stepped in earlier? Maybe that McDonald's incident was the moment.

Frank Malone

Maybe. Or maybe this was just the inevitable train wreck no one could slow down. But that Gatorade snatch? That’s a whole other layer we need to talk about...

Frank Malone

So let’s pick up from that Gatorade grab, because honestly, it’s such a window into Wilcox’s headspace. He’s mid-chase, probably running on fumes, and yet he takes the time to snag a bottle off some guy’s picnic table. Not just unpredictable—it's like he’s rewriting the rules of his own personal survival manual as he goes.

Dr. Evan Carter

Exactly. And while grabbing someone’s drink seems almost absurd, think about it through the lens of survival psychology. Wilcox wasn’t planning—he was acting on impulse, driven by immediate needs. Thirst, energy, maybe even just the impulse to grab something familiar in the storm of chaos he created.

Frank Malone

I hear you, Doctor, but stealing Gatorade in the middle of a chase? That’s next-level bizarre. And it doesn’t stop there. Earlier that night, he takes a bottle of booze, too—uses it to get money for food, or at least that’s what he says later on. It all feels a little… sloppy, honestly.

Dr. Evan Carter

It does, but here’s the thing—sloppy doesn’t always mean uncalculated. When you’re in survival mode, the brain prioritizes immediate gratification over long-term consequences. His actions—grabbing the Gatorade, stealing alcohol—these are all fueled by a kind of tunnel vision.

Frank Malone

Tunnel vision or not, I’d chalk some of this up to something simpler—substance use. The officer on the scene described his behavior as erratic, paranoid. Hell, sounds like meth to me. That stuff rewires your brain; you’re not thinking straight.

Dr. Evan Carter

Absolutely, substances like meth heighten impulsivity and aggression. But they also amplify existing tendencies. So if Wilcox was already teetering on the edge of desperation, drugs pushed him straight over. And that brings us to his fleeing behavior—it’s a classic fight-or-flight response, almost animalistic in its execution.

Frank Malone

Animalistic’s right. The guy’s running circles at the park, cutting through alleys, ducking into woods. He even manages to outmaneuver a Taser at one point—not once, but twice. That’s not just adrenaline, Carter—that’s someone who knows they’re cornered and willing to throw anything at the wall to get away.

Dr. Evan Carter

And not to be overlooked, every move—every twist and turn—feels like an attempt to hold onto some semblance of control. Even if it’s fleeting. But, Frank, let’s talk about the law enforcement side. What did you think of their tactics to contain someone this unpredictable?

Frank Malone

Honestly? It’s textbook perimeter work—containment’s the name of the game. I can’t fault ‘em there. But situations like this, they turn on a dime. One minute you think you've got him boxed in, the next he’s snagging a guy’s Gatorade and you’re back at square one. It’s like wrestling a greased pig in the dark.

Dr. Evan Carter

Well, that visual’s going to stick with me. But think about the emotional state Wilcox must’ve been in—panic, paranoia, and likely withdrawal symptoms. His brain isn’t equipped to slow down and strategize the way law enforcement can.

Frank Malone

True, but let’s not paint him as just a victim of circumstance, either. This guy threw a haymaker at an officer and chipped his tooth. You wanna feel sympathy? Save it for Officer Fudally. Containing Wilcox wasn’t just about catching him; it was about protecting everyone else in the area from his chaos.

Dr. Evan Carter

Agreed. And we have to ask—is this type of escalation preventable? Could officers have de-escalated earlier, or was it doomed to spiral the way it did?

Frank Malone

That’s the million-dollar question, Doc. But sometimes? Sometimes you just can’t stop someone determined to burn through all their bad decisions in one night.

Dr. Evan Carter

Frank, as we wrap up our analysis of Wilcox, I can't help but reflect on just how unpredictable and multifaceted human behavior becomes under pressure. Cases like his—you know, they really push us to uncover the layers of what drives someone to make the choices he did. It’s fascinating, isn’t it?

Frank Malone

Yeah, fascinating’s one word for it. I might go with exhausting. But hey, that’s why we do this—to make sense of the mess and maybe learn a thing or two along the way.

Dr. Evan Carter

Exactly. And for everyone listening out there, thank you for taking the time to join us today. Your support and the way you engage with the podcast really mean the world to us. We couldn’t do this without you.

Frank Malone

Seriously, we appreciate it. I might not get all mushy like Carter here, but seeing the comments and hearing your thoughts? It’s good stuff. Makes all this worth it.

Dr. Evan Carter

Frank Malone

Dr. Evan Carter

Well said. And keep those comments coming, folks. They’re not just entertaining for us—they add to the conversation. So if you have thoughts, questions, or just a good laugh to share, we want to hear them.

Frank Malone

Yeah, and don’t forget to share this with friends. More ears, more minds in the mix—it just makes all this better.

Dr. Evan Carter

Plus, if you’re interested in visual context, like bodycam footage, we’ve got that too. Check out our YouTube channel—Eye On Patrol. Just search “eye on patrol 2025”—all one word—and you’re good to go.

Frank Malone

Yep. That’s where you’ll see the kind of chaos we’re talking about. Just make sure you’re sitting down when you watch it.

Dr. Evan Carter

Alright, well, that’s all for today. Thanks again for listening, and we’ll see you next time!

Frank Malone

Stay safe out there, folks. Catch you on the next one.