George man fires pistol, released

Prosecutor frees suspect

GEORGE - A George man reportedly fired a semi-automatic pistol outside the Rivershark Pub in George after the server refused to serve him and his friend alcohol Sunday.

Cornilio Serrato-Serrato, 51, George, and Carlos F. Vasquez-Serrato, 22, George, reportedly went outside the pub to fight with the server who refused to serve them more alcohol, Grant County Undersheriff John Turley stated.

Vasquez-Serrato reportedly shot two rounds from a 9 mm pistol into the air, he noted.

The two men reportedly left in a 2000 Nissan Quest driven by Catarina Castillo, 68, of George.

Two Washington State Patrol troopers assisting county deputies reportedly saw the suspect vehicle on state Route 26, 10 miles west of Royal City.

The troopers stopped the vehicle driven by a woman and apprehended the three male suspects, Turley noted.

Vasquez-Serrato was booked into Grant County Jail for aiming or discharging a firearm and felony harassment.

Serrato-Serrato was booked into jail for felony harassment and criminal trespass.

Castillo was booked into jail for aiding and abetting.

When deputies inspected the pistol, they noticed it malfunctioned, Turley noted.

"A spent round was still in the 'stove-pipe' position," he advised. "A stove-pipe position is where a semi-automatic weapon does not fully eject the spent shell casing and jams in the slide of the pistol, not allowing it to fire the next round."

Grant County Deputy Prosecutor Steve Scott declined to file charges, "pending further investigation" and agreed to release the suspects without bail, according to county records.

The sheriff's office confiscated the pistol and will hold on until the further investigation is concluded.