Ephrata, Washington – An 18-year-old Mattawa man has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, after shooting at a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) police captain Saturday in Grant County.
The man is being held in Grant County Jail on $1 million bail, along with his 60-year-old father, who drew a knife on another WDFW police officer. The father has been charged with second-degree assault, and is being held on $100,000 bail. The men, who made a preliminary appearance today in Grant County Superior Court, are to be formally arraigned next Monday. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement has also placed holds on both men.
The two were arrested Saturday evening, following a vehicle pursuit by WDFW and the State Patrol on State Route 28 near Ephrata.
The incident began about 8:30 p.m. Saturday, when WDFW Officer Chad McGary was checking anglers at Crab Creek, a popular fishing area near Beverly in Grant County. McGary contacted the 18 year old, who had been fishing but did not possess a fishing license. As McGary was escorting the suspect back to his vehicle, to confirm whether he had purchased a license, the man drew a gun and pointed it at the officer. The man’s father also approached the officer, brandishing a knife.
The young man then escaped to a car and was pursued by WDFW Capt. Chris Anderson. During the pursuit, the suspect turned his vehicle around and drove toward Anderson’s marked police vehicle, firing shots and penetrating the driver’s side door with one round. Anderson returned fire after the suspect attempted to shoot at him a second time.
After a pursuit of several miles, the suspect was apprehended after his car stalled on State Route 28 near Ephrata.
The young man was booked into Grant County Jail for alleged attempted murder in the first degree. The suspect’s father was booked for alleged assault and for an outstanding felony warrant on an unrelated charge.
The incident is being investigated by the Columbia Basin Investigative Team, a regional law-enforcement consortium. Investigations are routinely conducted following police use of force involving firearms.
WDFW police are general-authority law enforcement officers who provide a range of police services focused on natural-resource protection and public safety.
