Follow on Facebook at Secure, Washington
SPOKANE - Two men who had already been sentenced in state court to decades in prison for shooting a Spokane police officer in 2022 were sentenced on federal drug and firearm charges, according to a news release Friday from the U.S. Attorney’s Office – Eastern District of Washington.
U.S. District Judge Mary Dimke sentenced Ray A. Wynecoop, 24, to 30 years in prison and Isaac A. Ott, 23, to 25 years in prison on the federal charges.
Last year, Wynecoop was sentenced to 65 years in prison and Ott was sentenced to 40 years in prison in Spokane County Superior Court on multiple charges in connection to the shooting.
Court records say Wynecoop and his co-conspirator and childhood friend, Ott, targeted two northeast Spokane homes in drive-by shootings June 26, 2022. Police responded to the shootings and were then targeted, documents say.
With Wynecoop driving, the pair, who are members of different gangs, pursued Spokane police Officer Michele Kernkamp’s patrol vehicle north on Perry Street, approaching Empire Avenue.
Seven shots were fired as Officer Kris Honaker’s patrol vehicle passed through the intersection of Empire Avenue and Perry Street, according to documents. Honaker was shot in the leg, and a bullet grazed his scalp in the drive-by.
About six months before the shooting, Wynecoop tried to elude Spokane police in a Dodge Charger after police tried to conduct a traffic stop on him, according to court documents and information presented at the federal sentencing hearing. Police found the Charger and noticed it had been involved in a crash. Wynecoop attempted to run from the scene but was arrested.
Law enforcement located two pistols inside the vehicle, as well as a fanny pack that contained one ounce of heroin and fentanyl-laced pills.
During the 2022 shooting, both defendants were carrying guns despite being barred from owning them, the release said.
Detectives located two firearms, spent shell casings, about 10,000 fentanyl pills, some heroin and other drug-related items during a search of the car used in the shooting.
“Notwithstanding their prior felony convictions, Wynecoop and Ott illegally possessed firearms with the express purpose of murdering Spokane Police,” Acting U.S. Attorney Richard Barker said in the release. “I am humbled by the dedication of federal, state, and local law enforcement, who put their lives on the line every day to protect Eastern Washington communities. We all are indebted to the officers in this case, who bravely risked their lives to ensure both Wynecoop and Ott were held accountable for these terrible crimes.”
PORT ANGELES – A 36-year-old Port Angeles man is in custody on a felony burglary charge for stealing copper from a local business.
The arrest stems from the report on Tuesday, March 25 from All Weather Heating and Cooling in Port Angeles, when they called the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office to report an unknown person had entered their fenced-in storage yard on Kemp Street and stole copper, coils, and inner heat pumps valued at about $500.
The suspect was captured on a surveillance camera entering the storage yard after closing time. The suspect was believed to be involved with previous thefts at the business which had been occurring about one to two times a week for the past month.
Deputy Eagan spoke to a citizen who found copper items “stashed” at a vacant lot near All Weather Heating and Cooling. Most of the stolen property taken on March 25 was recovered at that time.
Through his investigation, Deputy Eagan was able to identify Adam D. Roberson as a person of interest. On Thursday, Eagan questioned him about the burglaries, where Roberson admitted to taking the items and was arrested for Burglary and Theft.
SEATTLE — A toddler who was abducted from a South Seattle daycare on Friday afternoon has been found in Federal Way, according to the Seattle Police Department.
The Seattle Police Department (SPD) said the 1-year-old girl was last seen at a daycare in the 9300 block of Rainier Avenue South around 2:45 p.m.
The suspect in the kidnapping, a 46-year-old woman, appeared in court on Saturday. KING 5 does not name suspects until they are officially charged.
Her bail is set at $500,000.
First appearance documents state she walked into a Seattle early learning facility and said she was there to pick up the girl. When staff denied her, the woman allegedly grabbed the child and left. Staff told police they did not chase her as it appeared she was carrying a firearm in her jacket.
The girl was located near Pacific Highway South and South 324th Street in Federal Way shortly before 6 p.m.
A female suspect ran from the gray Dodge Challenger, the vehicle police had been searching for, and was arrested shortly after.
WSP said the suspect is known to the girl's mother and has a history of threatening the girl's family.
The girl was reunited with her family at a Seattle police station. The circumstances leading up to the kidnapping are under investigation.
A woman who identified herself to KING 5 outside the daycare said she was "relieved but stressed" after hearing the news.
The suspect's arrest unfolded in a parking lot shared by several businesses, including a smoke and vape shop.
One of the employees told KING 5 they walked outside as police arrived.
"I saw a lot of helicopters just circling around the area. It was just an eerie feeling," the employee said. "Next thing you know, like, 15-20 cops pulled up... and we saw the baby girl getting pulled out of the car. It's really fortunate. It's a blessing."
Another woman was on her way to an appointment at a nail salon when she noticed the activity.
"That's when I realized it was whatever I got on my phone," said Michelle Murieuki, referring to the Amber Alert.
"I was like, 'I hope they get the person.' I just didn't think they would get caught where I was," she said. "I'm just glad the baby was unhurt. Sometimes those situations don't turn out how it turned out today."
ALGONA, Wash. — An Algona business was evacuated after two binders containing a white, crystal-like substance, later confirmed to be methamphetamine, were delivered to the location on Thursday, prompting a police investigation,
The Algona Police service was called to the 1600 block of Industrial Drive around 11:17 a.m. after a worker reported the suspicious binders.
An employee who came into contact with the white substance inside the binders reported feeling ill, leading to the involvement of a Hazardous Materials (HazMat) team from the Valley Regional Fire Authority.
The team identified the substance as methamphetamine.
The affected employee was taken to an Auburn-area hospital for treatment and has since been released and is recovering.
Algona police are actively investigating the origins of the methamphetamine, and urge anyone with information about the incident to contact the Algona Police Service at 253-833-2743.
TACOMA, Wash. — Authorities are on the lookout for a detainee who escaped from ICE's Northwest Processing Center in Tacoma on Wednesday evening.
The escape was reported to South Sound 911 at approximately 7:30 p.m., prompting a request for assistance from the Tacoma Police Department (TPD).
The TPD said officers could not find the escapee after conducting an area check in their patrol vehicles.
Further details about the escapee or their current status have not been disclosed.
The TPD said the NW Processing Center's resources would be managing the situation.
The NW Processing Center is an ICE contract facility owned by the GEO Group. GEO operates 50 secure facilities across the country, according to the company’s website.
There is a camp outside the facility operated by La Resistencia.
KOMO News has contacted the GEO Group for comment but has not received a response as of Friday morning.
SEATTLE — A man has been arrested by Seattle police in connection to a violent hate crime attack against a transgender person in the University District.
The attack happened on Thursday evening, the Seattle Police Department said, with the victim calling 911 to report it.
The victim told 911 that they were attacked by a group of men using anti-transgender slurs on the 4700 block of University Way Northeast.
The victim managed to escape and sought refuge in a nearby business. Upon arrival, officers found the suspects had fled the scene.
The victim sustained "significant" injuries to their face and stomach, and was evaluated by Seattle Fire Department personnel.
Seattle police began their investigation by speaking with the victim and several witnesses who remained at the scene.
Through their efforts, officers established probable cause for a hate crime. They connected a suspect vehicle to a recent incident and identified a male suspect matching the description of one of the attackers.
The man was located entering a residence, and containment was established around the area. Police were able to arrest him without incident.
Court documents name the suspect as Andre Phillip Karlow, age 39.
Karlow has been handed hate crime charges, and has also been charged with a separate hate crime from September of last year. His bail was set at $200,000.
Karlow has a long record of run-ins with the law, with 30 total arrests since 2003. 13 of those arrests were for felony crimes.
MOSES LAKE, Wash. — Moses Lake police are intensifying their search for a suspect wanted in connection with the murder of a 14-year-old boy.
The initial two suspects, identified as Jose Beltran-Rodriguez, 20, and an 18-year-old, both from Moses Lake, were wanted for first-degree murder, five counts of first-degree assault, drive-by shooting, and felon in possession of a firearm, according to Moses Lake police.
The incident, which occurred on March 21, also left four others injured, including two 17-year-olds, a 12-year-old, and a 26-year-old, according to Moses Lake police.
Moses Lake police said all four surviving victims have been treated for gunshot wounds and released from the hospital. One suspect, a 14-year-old boy, was arrested on Tuesday in the Tri-Cities.
Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Marshals and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), are involved in the search.
The 18-year-old suspect was reportedly taken into custody early Friday morning in Beaverton, Oregon, with assistance from the Washington County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Marshals, according to Moses Lake police.
Authorities urge anyone with information on Beltran-Rodriguez's whereabouts to contact the U.S. Marshals tip line at 1-800-336-0102 or visit www.usmarshals.gov/tips.
A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the capture of the suspect.
SEATTLE — A 48-year-old woman was arrested by Seattle police after kidnapping a 1-year-old girl from a daycare in south Seattle on Friday afternoon, according to Seattle police.
Seattle police said officers responded to reports of the abduction at 2:46 p.m. from a daycare located in the 9300 block of Rainier Avenue South.
The suspect, who is known to the child's mother, fled the scene with the child in a gray sports car, police noted.
Seattle police coordinated with multiple law enforcement agencies to track the suspect to Pacific Highway South and South 324th Street in Federal Way. When Federal Way Police officers located the vehicle, the woman attempted to flee on foot but was ultimately apprehended, police said.
Police said the child was safely rescued around 5:45 p.m. and returned to her family at the Seattle Police Department's South Precinct.
The suspect was initially taken to the Federal Way police station before being transferred to Seattle police custody. She will be booked into King County jail following an interview with detectives at the SPD headquarters, according to the SPD.
The SPD said the circumstances surrounding the kidnapping are currently under investigation by detectives.
OLYMPIA, Wash. — A new legislative proposal, Senate Bill 5238, is advancing to the House with the aim of curbing reckless driving by expanding its definition.
The bill seeks to classify driving 30 mph over the speed limit as reckless driving, a move that lawmakers believe will hold drivers accountable.
If you exceed the speed limit by 30 mph then you are automatically going to be charged with reckless driving," said Senator Ron Muzzall, the bill's sponsor and a former firefighter. Muzzall emphasized the personal impact of reckless driving, stating, "I’ve picked up the pieces, I’ve picked up the pieces of those guilty of exceeding the speed limit at high rates, but I’ve also picked up the pieces of the innocent victims.
Currently, drivers caught speeding may receive a ticket or face a reckless driving charge, which must be proven in court. Trooper John Dattilo of the Washington State Patrol noted that some areas do not consider speed alone as reckless driving unless accompanied by other dangerous behaviors, such as unsafe lane changes or tailgating.
The Washington State Patrol has reported an increase in reckless driving incidents, often resulting in fatal crashes.
"This hopefully will create an extra layer of accountability that will maybe force them to deal with reality and choose not to do this," said Muzzall
Reckless driving is classified as a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a fine of up to $5,000. Under the proposed bill, offenders would also face a minimum one-month license suspension.
The bill is now headed to the House, and if passed into law, it would take effect on Sept. 1.
VANCOUVER - Three weeks after the city cleared a homeless camp along the sound wall on West Mill Plain Boulevard in Vancouver, nearby residents say they haven’t noticed people return, as feared.
“There is this cloud that’s lifted. It’s gone,” said Matthew Trevino, a 42-year-old resident of the Hough neighborhood. “I couldn’t believe it happened so fast.”
The city closed the sound wall to camping March 5 after almost a year of complaints from neighbors.
A sound wall — built to dampen the noise from Mill Plain traffic — divided the camp from nearby homes’ backyards. Still, residents complained about homeless people wandering the neighborhood, screaming, setting fires and using drugs publicly.
With dwindling places to camp in Vancouver, city staff warned neighbors that closing the camp could lead people to camp farther into the neighborhood.
In November 2023, the city declared homelessness to be a civil emergency, which enabled officials to close areas to camping where it poses a risk to public health and safety, as well as fast-track projects to solve the issue.
The city used the emergency declaration to clear camps on West 16th Street and underneath the Mill Plain bridge. Those campers flocked to the sound wall.
Before the city closed the sound wall camp, it spent months moving people into the city’s Safe Stays, shelters with 20 hutlike units. Out of the 52 people counted as living in the sound wall camp in October, about half moved into a Safe Stay. Ten people moved to another area, and 15 people declined shelter, Jamie Spinelli, the city’s homeless response manager, told the Vancouver City Council in late February.
Not all those who remained on the sound wall declined shelter, Spinelli said. Some moved to the sound wall after the city counted and surveyed the campers.
Spinelli said she has seen a few people camping deeper in the Hough neighborhood. Some moved from the sound wall to the encampment near the Share House men’s shelter, where two rows of tents lined the sidewalk Wednesday. Other campers scattered across Vancouver to live along freeways or wander without a consistent sleeping spot.
Spinelli said outreach workers have not had any difficulties finding homeless residents as they migrate to other areas.
Homeless people usually camp in places where they are a bit tucked away but still visible enough for outreach and safety, which is why some stuck close to the sound wall, Spinelli said.
“We can do outreach wherever people go. But it is destabilizing toward people experiencing homelessness,” Spinelli said. “It’s a delicate balance of making sure that until we have enough shelter that not everything is off limits to camping at all times.”
While people from the sound wall camp are moving on, neighbors say they’re enjoying a restored sense of peace.
Trevino said his son is learning how to ride his bike again in the street after being too afraid of the camp. People are walking and running in the neighborhood more often.
“Like a light switch. … I couldn’t believe it,” he said.
At a community forum Monday, Trevino thanked city councilors for agreeing to close the sound wall camp. However, other neighborhoods are struggling with homeless camps as well, he said.
“They have an uphill battle just like we did,” Trevino said.
PASCO - A 32-year-old Pasco man has been sentenced to over 10 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Chief United States District Judge Stanley Bastian also ordered Leonardo Daniel Martinez to serve five years of supervised release following his prison term.
The case comes from an incident on May 20, 2022, when Richland Police responded to a domestic disturbance involving Martinez. Despite being instructed to leave the premises, Martinez resisted and reportedly tried to assault an officer.
During his arrest, officers discovered he had a 9mm handgun. Martinez, who has a prior domestic violence conviction, was legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
“Domestic violence is a major contributor to firearm-related crimes in Eastern Washington, particularly in the Tri-Cities area,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Richard Barker. “Offenders like Mr. Martinez, who possess large quantities of dangerous narcotics, pose a significant threat to our community.”
Fentanyl pills were found in a Pasco man’s car
A subsequent search of Martinez’s car revealed another handgun, 10,179 fentanyl pills, $72,354 in cash, a small amount of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and three cell phones.
“Martinez’s actions endangered many lives,” David Reames, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Seattle Field Division, said. “His possession of enough fentanyl to potentially kill nearly 6,000 people, along with his violent behavior, underscores the importance of this conviction.”
BOTHELL, Wash. — A single-vehicle crash Thursday afternoon caused significant traffic disruptions and power outages in Bothell after a car struck two utility poles at the intersection of Bothell Way NE and NE 188th Street.
According to authorities, officers responded to the scene and are currently diverting all lanes in all directions at the intersection.
Drivers are being asked to avoid the area and use alternate routes while the investigation and cleanup efforts continue.
The driver of the vehicle was treated at the scene for minor injuries and has since been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Utility crews are on-site working to repair the damaged poles and restore service. The crash initially left over 2,000 customers without power.
As of 6 a.m. Friday, PSE reported around 900 customers were still without power.
Officials said all power should be restored to customers by 10 a.m. on Friday.