State of Washington v. Lance Andrew Stores

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedJune 10, 2025
Docket40143-0
StatusUnpublished

This text of State of Washington v. Lance Andrew Stores (State of Washington v. Lance Andrew Stores) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State of Washington v. Lance Andrew Stores, (Wash. Ct. App. 2025).

Opinion

FILED JUNE 10, 2025 In the Office of the Clerk of Court WA State Court of Appeals, Division III

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON DIVISION THREE

STATE OF WASHINGTON, ) ) No. 40143-0-III Respondent, ) ) v. ) ) LANCE ANDREW STORES, ) UNPUBLISHED OPINION ) Appellant. )

COONEY, J. — Lance Stores was charged with child molestation in the first degree

and invoked his right to a jury trial. The jury was deadlocked after 2 hours and 18

minutes of deliberations at the conclusion of his first trial, resulting in the court ordering

a mistrial. Mr. Stores was later convicted in a second trial.

Mr. Stores appeals, arguing the trial court abused its discretion when it

prematurely ordered a mistrial and admitted certain evidence. He further claims his trial

attorney was ineffective in not cross-examining the victim and in failing to object to

certain evidence. Lastly, Mr. Stores raises three issues in a statement of additional

grounds for review (SAG).

Finding no error, we affirm. No. 40143-0-III State v. Stores

BACKGROUND

In 2021, cohabitants Tammie and Lance Stores met Lexi and Nick.1 Lexi and

Nick had recently moved into the neighborhood with their two children, one of whom

was their seven-year-old daughter, B.R.S. 2 Shortly thereafter, Tammie began providing

childcare for the children.

Tammie babysat both children on July 1, 2022. Mr. Stores returned home from

work that evening at approximately 8:00 p.m. He spent much of the evening drinking

beer on a bench in front of their residence. B.R.S. and Mr. Stores sat on the bench,

covered with a blanket.

Mr. Stores testified that B.R.S. was clinging to him and “just wouldn’t leave [him]

alone” that evening. Rep. of Proc. (RP) at 830, 832. B.R.S. asked Mr. Stores to tickle

her. Mr. Stores responded by poking her in the ribs. B.R.S. showed Mr. Stores what she

meant by tickling by running her fingers up his hand. B.R.S. then whispered to Mr.

Stores that she wanted to be tickled all over. B.R.S. claimed Mr. Stores tickled her all

over, including her “private part.” RP at 686, 886. Mr. Stores denied tickling B.R.S.

anywhere other than her hand.

1 We refer to witnesses by their last names only unless necessary for disposition of the issue. 2 B.R.S. is Lexi’s biological child only.

2 No. 40143-0-III State v. Stores

Lexi and Nick retrieved the children from Mr. Stores’ residence between 10:00

and 11:00 p.m. At Mr. Stores’ request, B.R.S. asked her parents if she could stay the

night at Mr. Stores’ residence. Mr. Stores told B.R.S. to ask her parents because he did

not want to appear as the “bad guy” by saying no. RP at 709, 837.

Lexi and Nick questioned B.R.S. when they arrived home. B.R.S. told Lexi that

Mr. Stores had touched her “private part.” RP at 686. Lexi and Nick reported the

incident to law enforcement two days later. Brenda Borders conducted a forensic

interview of B.R.S. on July 11, 2022.

Detective Robert Bianchi later questioned Mr. Stores about B.R.S.’s allegation.

Mr. Stores reported that B.R.S. was abnormally clingy that evening and characterized her

behavior as “promiscuous.” RP at 704. Mr. Stores later testified that he did not

understand “promiscuous” implied a desire for sexual gratification and thought it simply

meant flirtatious. RP at 845. Mr. Stores told the detective that B.R.S. had asked him to

tickle her all over, which he believed meant in inappropriate ways. Mr. Stores told

Detective Bianchi that B.R.S. said if he refused to tickle her like she wanted, she would

tell her parents that he did tickle her. Mr. Stores agreed with Detective Bianchi’s

characterization of B.R.S.’s conduct that evening as blackmail.

The State charged Mr. Stores with child molestation in the first degree on

October 7, 2022. Mr. Stores’ first trial began on August 23, 2023. The trial concluded

on August 24, 2023, with a question from the jury after 2 hours and 18 minutes of

3 No. 40143-0-III State v. Stores

deliberations, asking, “What should we do if we cannot come to a unanimous decision?”

Clerk’s Papers (CP) at 130. The court polled the jury in response to the question. Each

juror agreed there was not a reasonable probability of reaching a verdict within a

reasonable time frame. The court then consulted with the attorneys who agreed the jury

was deadlocked. The court ordered a mistrial.

A second trial was held in November 2023. B.R.S. testified for the State, but Mr.

Stores’ attorney chose not to cross-examine her. Nick testified, in part, that he had

offered to pay for Mr. Stores to take a lie detector test and that he “never thought [Mr.

Stores] would do something like that.” RP at 756. Detective Bianchi testified that Mr.

Stores stated B.R.S. was acting promiscuously and characterized Mr. Stores’ description

of B.R.S.’s behavior toward him as blackmail.

The jury ultimately found Mr. Stores guilty of child molestation in the first degree.

Mr. Stores timely appeals.

ANALYSIS

MISTRIAL AND EVIDENTIARY RULINGS

Mr. Stores argues the trial court abused its discretion when it prematurely ordered

a mistrial, admitted into evidence a recording of B.R.S.’s forensic interview, and

overruled his objection to testimony of a polygraph test.

4 No. 40143-0-III State v. Stores

Mistrial

We review a trial court’s ruling on a mistrial for abuse of discretion. State v.

Emery, 174 Wn.2d 741, 765, 278 P.3d 653 (2012).

A court “abuses its discretion when it acts on untenable grounds or its ruling is

manifestly unreasonable.” State v. Gaines, 194 Wn. App. 892, 896, 380 P.3d 540 (2016).

A “decision is based ‘on untenable grounds’ or made ‘for untenable reasons’ if it rests on

facts unsupported in the record or was reached by applying the wrong legal standard.”

State v. Rohrich, 149 Wn.2d 647, 654, 71 P.3d 638 (2003) (quoting State v. Rundquist, 79

Wn. App. 786, 793, 905 P.2d 922 (1995)). A “decision is ‘manifestly unreasonable’ if

the court, despite applying the correct legal standard to the supported facts, adopts a view

‘that no reasonable person would take,’ and arrives at a decision ‘outside the range of

acceptable choices.’” Rohrich, 149 Wn.2d at 654 (citation omitted) (quoting State v.

Lewis, 115 Wn.2d 294, 298-99, 797 P.2d 1141 (1990); Rundquist, 79 Wn. App. at 793).

Mr. Stores argues the trial court abused its discretion when it prematurely ordered

a mistrial. We decline review of the claimed error.

This court may refuse to review a claim of error that was not raised at the trial

court level. RAP 2.5. The purpose of this rule is to give the trial court an opportunity to

correct any errors before the case is presented on appeal. State v. Strine, 176 Wn.2d 742,

749, 293 P.3d 1177 (2013). “[T]here is great potential for abuse when a party does not

object because ‘[a] party so situated could simply lie back, not allowing the trial court to

5 No. 40143-0-III State v. Stores

avoid the potential prejudice, gamble on the verdict, and then seek a new trial on

appeal.’” State v. Weber, 159 Wn.2d 252, 271-72, 149 P.3d 646

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