Man pleads not guilty in deputy shooting

Barajas remains in custody on $5 million bond

RITZVILLE — An Othello man has pleaded not guilty to charges that he shot at an Adam's County Sheriff's deputy.

Florentino Silva Barajas, 42, made his first appearance in Adams County Superior Court Monday, pleading not guilty to two counts of first-degree attempted murder and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm.

Barajas remains in custody of the Adams County Jail on $5 million bond.

The charges stem from an incident late last month, where Barajas allegedly shot at two deputies and an Othello Police Department Officer who were trying to arrest him.

According to the ACSO, Barajas was stopped for driving without a license by Deputy Dale Wagner on Feb. 17. Adams County Deputy Jeff Lane and OPD Officer Jerry Dobson were called in after a chase ensued. Barajas then fired on the law enforcement officers, the ACSO has reported, after leading them to his home on S. Taylor Road in Othello. Law enforcement returned fire, injuring Barajas in the left wrist.

Lane is recovering from a bullet wound to the leg sustained in the gunfire. He was also shot in the chest but suffered no chest injury due to a bullet-resistant vest he was wearing. He has been treated and released from the hospital and remains on leave by the ACSO. Dobson and Wagner were also put on paid administrative leave following the incident.

The three will remain on leave until the Grant County Sheriff's Office completes an investigation into the incident, which Adams County Sheriff Doug Barger said was nearing completion.

Barajas was originally identified as Jorge Alaniz in the case. A criminal background check conducted by the ACSO has found an extensive criminal history dating back to 1980. The ACSO has also released information that Barajas was under the influence of unspecified narcotics at the time of the shooting. He admitted to Grant County detectives from his hospital bed, according to the ACSO, that he shot at the law enforcement officers during the incident.

Adams County Prosecutor Randy Flyckt said that charges were filed against Barajas last week, and Barajas has been appointed a public defender in the case.

While Barajas is in the custody of the Adams County Jail, he is temporarily being housed at the Airway Heights Corrections Center until his condition improves. He has undergone surgery to repair his injured wrist.

Barajas will make his next appearance in court for a pretrial hearing March 28.