Fred Meyer Employee Assaulted By Total Stranger, Police Say

BEAVERTON, OR — An employee at the Walker Road Fred Meyer in Beaverton was surprised Sunday when a man approached her and, while she was assisting other customers, punched her in the head.

Hathasone Ley Pathammavong, 44, was arrested by Beaverton police and taken to Washington County Jail following the unprovoked attack. He was charged with two counts of assault. His bail is set $25,371.

According to Beaverton police spokesman Jeremy Shaw, Pathammavong entered the Fred Meyer at 15995 S.W. Walker Rd. just before 3:30 p.m. He reportedly walked right up to Fred Meyer employee Lisa Seeling, 33, and punched her.

Shaw did not say whether Pathammavong said anything prior to the attack.

After punching Seeling in the head, fracturing her cheek bone, Pathammavong was detained by other customers at the store until police arrived, Shaw said, noting there is no clear motive for Pathammavong's actions.

Shaw said Seeling and Pathammavong are total strangers, with Seeling telling investigators she'd never seen him before.

Seeling was taken to Kaiser Permanente's Westside Medical Center in Tanasbourne where she was diagnosed with a fractured zygomatic bone, specifically, Shaw said.

Pathammavong has a short criminal history in Oregon, with offenses recorded between 1991 and 2000 — the most serious of which was a felony assault trial for which Pathammavong was found not guilty.

Pathammavong's last charge was a misdemeanor theft in 2000.

This post was updated to include the victim's identity and injury details.

Image via Washington County Sheriff's Office