Hunter pleads innocent in deputy shooting

Guns removed from defendant's home

EPHRATA - A Moses Lake man pleaded innocent Tuesday in Grant County Superior Court to charges associated with an alleged hunted-related shooting of an off-duty Grant County deputy.

Robbie Jo Marcher, 38, was also charged Tuesday with four new counts of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm after deputies served a search warrant on his home.

At Marcher's home, deputies found and removed three rifles, one shotgun, ammunition, spent shell casings and an ammunition magazine, according to court documents.

The deputy, Earl Romig, 26, was shot once in the back with a high-powered hunting rifle on Jan. 10. Romig is recovering from his injuries at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Marcher was arrested as a suspect in the shooting.

Romig received internal injuries and it was initially believed his right leg was paralyzed.

His family is "hopeful he can stabilize enough in the next two weeks to be moved to rehab," according to a hospital-sponsored patient information Web site.

"Therapy had the entire hall in tears as Earl (Romig) used his walker to travel the entire length of the hall and back," according to the Web site. "He found a way to 'swing' his right leg instead of dragging it."

Marcher wasn't supposed to have a gun because of a prior felony conviction, Grant County Prosecuting Attorney John Knodell said last week at Marcher's first court appearance.

Marcher's prior convictions include criminal trespassing, marijuana possession, malicious mischief, reckless driving and hunting during a closed season, Knodell said.

Marcher was charged last week with third-degree assault, failing to summon assistance and unlawful possession of a firearm.

He reportedly told deputies he thought he shot at a coyote and didn't return to see what he hit.

Marcher's wife reportedly called him to tell him there had been a shooting in the area he and his father were hunting in near Soap Lake, court documents state.

Marcher allegedly realized, at the time of the conversation with his wife, he might have shot a person but didn't call police, court documents state.

Law enforcement recreated the scene about the same time of day Romig was shot by using a deputy roughly Romig's size and wearing the same color of clothing Romig was wearing.

Marcher's rifle was used during the recreation and the scope was set at the same power as when he shot it.

About 10 officers said they could see the deputy was a human "even with the naked eye let alone with the aid of a scope six times the power of the naked eye," according to court documents.

Marcher was later arrested and taken to Grant County Jail where he's being held on $70,000 bail.

During court Tuesday, Grant County Superior Court Judge Evan Sperline said he expected to be disqualified from hearing the case and told the audience to return later that afternoon. Sperline didn't say a reason for the change.

The case was later heard by Grant County Superior Court Judge John Antosz, who presided last week over Marcher's first court appearance.

Antosz said Marcher qualified for a public defense attorney. His trial was set for March 11.

See video coverage of Marcher's court appearance, courtesy of KREM-2 News, Spokane