Cops: Convicted murderer threatens to kill Tacoma leaders if bowling alley is demolished

TACOMA -- A Tacoma man sits in jail facing ten felony counts after allegedly threatening to kill the mayor of Tacoma and city councilmembers.

Police say the man blamed city leaders for the closing of Pacific Lanes Bowling Alley.

Investigators say David Herbert Ide left several threatening voicemails to council members and the mayor. (2003 mug shot courtesy DOC)

The 60-year-old bowling alley is striking out for the last time. Q13 News even featured the alley in a story earlier this year -- the end of an era for Tacoma.

General Manager Billy Hamilton says it’s closing for good on Sunday.

“I’ve grown up here. I’ve seen other people grow up. So yeah, it’s bittersweet,” said Pacific Lanes Bowling Alley General Manager Billy Hamilton.

A man born around the same time Pacific Lanes Bowling Alley came to life, now sits in the Pierce County Jail.  Here’s a mug shot of David Ide, now 60 years old, from 2003. Back in 1992, he was convicted of second-degree murder for killing a woman in Tacoma.  He’s back in trouble again.

“He thought since the council approved the apartment building moving in he thought it was the council members responsibility for having the bowling alley go away,” said Tacoma Police Spokesperson Loretta Cool.

But Tacoma Police Spokesperson Loretta Cool says the owners decided to sell without the city pushing them out. Regardless, charging documents say Ide called city leaders multiple times as his anger escalated.

“I am going to kill you,” said Cool quoting what Ide said on those voicemails.

Police say David Ide got a cell phone in someone else’s name and made those threatening calls from that phone, but police say they still tracked him down and he admitted to the calls.

“It became racially motivated and a hate crime even as the time went on,” said Cool.

It’s not just what he said, but Cool says it’s what they found on him and at his home.

“Edge weapons in his car. So, knives that could definitely kill someone. In the home, we found a number of different weapons. No guns, but crossbows, arrows,” said Cool.

Just off Sherwood and East 82nd Street, you’ll find a quiet neighborhood where Ide once lived.

His neighbors say he was friendly and personable, but he’d always been in trouble, including a murder conviction that landed him in prison.

Back at Pacific Lanes, Hamilton doesn’t want David Ide’s charges to tarnish the memories of the bowling alley.

“I know of the guy. He bowled here. I don’t know him personally. It’s the wrong mentality.  It’s not that serious.  It’s just bowling,” said Hamilton.

Instead, Hamilton wants people to remember Pacific Lanes for all the good times, including Thursday when Sam Strader bowled five strikes in a row or a Yahtzee.

David Ide is charged with ten felony counts: one count of telephone harassment, felony threat to kill and nine counts of intimidating a public servant.

Pacific Lanes will close Sunday at midnight.  The owners say they’ll take some time off before planning their next steps.