Former Othello cop stops hijacking, rescues baby
MOSES LAKE — A former Othello police officer rescued a baby in the back of a car by preventing a man from stealing it Tuesday evening.
Omar Gamboa, 23 of Quincy, rolled his 1990 Honda Accord at about 5:30 p.m. He then allegedly tried to flee the scene by stealing a woman's SUV. The woman, Tammy Stephens, 44, of Moses Lake, had stopped to help, according to the Grant County Sheriff's Office.
Stephens came upon the accident at the intersection of Road 4 NE and Road F NE and stopped her vehicle. Stephens then exited her vehicle, leaving her 1-year-old grandson in his car seat.
According to the GCSO, Gamboa then got into Stephens' vehicle and tried to get away.
Matthew Rooney, who lives on the corner where the accident occurred, witnessed the incident and sprang into action.
Rooney, a former Othello police officer, told GCSO deputies who responded to the incident that he ran to the vehicle, jumped onto the running board, gave Gamboa a strike to the head, turned the vehicle off and shifted it into park, the GCSO stated.
A struggle ensued after Rooney pulled the keys from the ignition. Gamboa was able to get away from 51-year-old Rooney and ran into a nearby field.
The GCSO deputies who responded to the scene were able to locate Gamboa in back of a nearby residence and took him into custody without incident.
Gamboa was allegedly highly intoxicated and refused any medical help. He was booked into Grant County Jail on charges of attempted vehicle theft, kidnapping and driving under the influence. He also had an active Grant County warrant for failure to appear.
Rooney's wife Nancy, who witnessed the incident, said that she is really proud of him.
"That's just typical of him," Nancy Rooney said. "He's been helping people his whole life."
She said that at first she couldn't figure out why he would try to jump on a car that was driving away, even if it was being stolen.
"He told me there was a baby in there and he was not going to let the guy get away with that."