A Skyview High School teacher faces a residential burglary allegation after he allegedly broke into a stranger’s home Sunday morning and was found eating the resident’s soup.
Jon Wesley Selby, 46, of Vancouver appeared Monday in Clark County Superior Court on the allegation and was back in court today to set his release conditions.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Terra Galicia was awakened at her home, 6414 N.E. Fourth Plain Blvd., by an unknown man opening her bedroom door about 8 a.m. Sunday. The man, later identified by police as Selby, poked his head inside the room, where she was sleeping, and said, “You’re not.” He then closed the bedroom door and went into the bathroom.
Selby reportedly left the bathroom and went into the kitchen. He grabbed some leftover soup, heated it in the microwave and then went to the living room to eat it, according to court documents.
When Vancouver police arrived at the residence, they found Selby still inside the home, court records said. He told police he was there with family members. However, none were present, the affidavit said.
Selby, who teaches English and a credit recovery class, has worked at Skyview High School for nearly 20 years, according to Pat Nuzzo, Vancouver Public Schools’ communications director. She said Selby is on unpaid leave from the district until the case is resolved. Nuzzo said she could not speak as to whether Selby has had past issues at the school.
Selby was placed on a two-day suspension without pay in spring 2008 and was investigated by Clark County Sheriff’s deputies for allegedly soliciting and receiving liquid Vicodin, an opioid painkiller, from a student during school, according to a 2009 story published in The Columbian. While it was reported as an alleged exchange of a narcotic for extra credit, school officials found no evidence Selby gave the student a higher grade.
The Columbian reported that Selby admitted he received the painkiller from the student after complaining to his class that he was suffering back pain March 20, 2008, according to an internal email sent to district officials. He said at the time that the situation was blown out of proportion. Selby was not charged with any violation of law after the incident.
Court records show Selby reported that he recently checked himself into Lifeline Connections, which provides medically assisted detoxification and substance-use treatment. Records indicate he may struggle with mental health and alcohol issues.
On Monday, Judge Derek Vanderwood set Selby’s bail at $2,500. He will retain his own defense attorney, according to court records.
Selby will be arraigned March 4.