Two Royal City teens arrested for shooting at officer

SOAP LAKE - Two Royal City teenagers were arrested for shooting at a Soap Lake police officer during a chase.

A Soap Lake patrol officer was conducting a routine traffic stop for a broken taillight on a burgundy Honda at the intersection of Division Road Northwest and State Route 28 early Monday morning, Soap Lake police Chief Jim Dorris told the Columbia Basin Herald Thursday.

As the officer tried to stop the Honda, the suspect reportedly made a U-turn and fled eastbound on SR 28, said Dorris. During a two-mile pursuit at speeds up to 80 mph, the driver allegedly fired eight to 10 shots from a 9 mm pistol at the patrol car.

"One round may have hit the patrol car," said Dorris.

The officer did not return fire, he added.

When the shots were fired, the officer retreated from the pursuit and waited for assistance from the Grant County Sheriff's Office and Ephrata police, according to Dorris.

Law enforcement searched the nearby area for more than an hour trying to look for the suspects afterwards but could not locate the car, according to Dorris.

The Honda was found abandoned the next day by a sheriff's office deputy.

Jose Nieves, 19, Royal City, was arrested Tuesday night by members of the Central Basin Investigative Team with the help of the Department of Corrections and US Marshals.

Nieves was booked into Grant County Jail initially for intimidating a public servant.

Charges are expected to be upgraded, according to Central Basin Investigative Team commander Dave Sands. 

Investigators arrested another suspect, a juvenile male, in Royal City.

The juvenile was initially arrested for probation violation before being connected to the incident, said Sands.

"It is believed that there were three males in the car at the time of the incident," said Dorris.

Investigators continue to look for the third suspect.

The investigation team is comprised of detectives from several police departments within Grant County and used when there is an officer-involved shooting or homicide.

The patrol officer was not hurt in the incident and continues to be on duty, Dorris said.