Men allegedly attack officer
EPHRATA — A father and son are accused of attacking a Washington state Fish and Wildlife officer.
Jose J. Garcia-Meraz, 18, Mattawa, faces charges of attempted murder in the first degree, assault in the second degree, unlawful imprisonment, alien in possession of a firearm and attempting to elude police.
EPHRATA — A father and son are accused of attacking a Washington state Fish and Wildlife officer.
Jose J. Garcia-Meraz, 18, Mattawa, faces charges of attempted murder in the first degree, assault in the second degree, unlawful imprisonment, alien in possession of a firearm and attempting to elude police.
His father, Nicolas Garcia-Godinez, 60, Othello, is charged with assault in the second degree.
Both are reported to be illegal aliens, according to court records.
Grant County Superior Court Judge John Knodell set bail for Garcia-Meraz at $1 million and his father’s at $100,000.
The pair were fishing on Crab Creek, when two fish and wildlife officers, spotted them. A fish and wildlife captain dropped off the second officer at one end of a bridge and drove to the other side.
After questioning, the officer discovered Garcia-Meraz didn’t have a fishing license, according to a police report.
As the officers escorted the man back to his vehicle to get his identification, an officer heard something metal in Garcia-Meraz’s back pocket.
After the officer asked Garcia-Meraz about the item in his pocket, he reportedly heard a gun being racked and Garcia-Meraz allegedly turned around and pointed a gun at him, according to the police report.
“The guy told him to drop his gun,” according to a Adams County Sheriff’s Office report. “(The officer’s) hands were up and he was trying to talk to the guy. (He) told the subject he had three children and a wife and he did not want to be hurt.”
Garcia-Meraz reportedly continued to tell the officer to drop his gun. The officer initially said he was afraid if he dropped the gun Garcia-Meraz would shoot him anyway. Garcia-Meraz reportedly walked toward him quickly, pushing him and held the gun a foot from the officer’s face, demanding he drop the gun, according to an Adams County Sheriff’s Office report.
After the officer threw his gun over a fence, Garcia-Godinez reportedly ran up the trail holding a knife, pointed at the officer, according to the report. The father and son started talking, and the officer ran up the hill, and Garcia-Meraz reportedly chased him. He reportedly asked his father where the keys for their Honda Civic were, grabbed them and drove off.
Garcia-Meraz fled on state Route 243, with a fish and wildlife captain following him. After turning onto Beverly Burke Road, Garcia-Meraz allegedly fired two to three shots at the police car, striking it. The chase continued onto state Route 243 and state Route 26. When Garcia-Meraz allegedly made a U-turn on the highway, the fish and wildlife captain stopped, got out of his vehicle and shot at Garcia-Meraz three times with a rifle, according to court records.
The man reportedly continued driving, entering Interstate 90. His car broke down at Naylor Junction, where he was arrested by Quincy police and assisting law enforcement.
Garcia-Meraz reportedly admitted he pointed the gun at the officer because he was scared, according to a police report. He reportedly told police he didn’t intend to shoot and denied shooting at the pursuing police car.
Garcia-Godinez told police he didn’t know what was occurring until he reportedly saw his son pointing the gun at the officer. He denied carrying the knife, stating he was telling his son to drop the gun.