Moses Lake shooting suspect arrested
Deputies arrest Anthony J. Aswell, dressed in all black, after he reportedly fled on foot from courthouse authorities last November.
MOSES LAKE - Anthony Jack Aswell, 23, Moses Lake, was arrested yesterday afternoon by Moses Lake police in connection with the Wednesday shooting of a 24-year-old Moses Lake man.
Aswell is in the Grant County Jail pending arraignment on a charge of first-degree assault.
He is accused of being responsible for an early morning shooting at a residence on Maple Drive Northeast in Moses Lake, according to Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones.
The shooting victim is recovering at Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake with injuries that Jones characterized as non-life-threatening.
A Moses Lake police officer spotted Aswell as a passenger in a 1996 Honda Accord about 10 miles east of Moses Lake Thursday around noon, Jones said. Officers followed the Accord eastbound on Interstate 90 and pulled it over once enough police were assembled to conduct a high-risk traffic stop. Aswell was taken into custody without incident, Jones said.
Sheriff's deputies, detectives, Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team members and the Moses Lake Regional Tactical Response Team were looking for Aswell since Wednesday afternoon.
Tips received from several sources helped officers track him to numerous homes and properties in and around Moses Lake but the suspect managed to avoid arrest until Thursday.
"From the start of this investigation, we had two things which helped us quickly put Aswell behind bars; information from witnesses and the public, and teamwork from all our local law enforcement agencies," Jones stated. "We appreciate everyone who helped us track down and arrest this suspected shooter."
Aswell, whose alias is "Pancho," has a criminal history in Grant County starting in 2002 and includes charges of drug paraphernalia possession, dangerous weapon possession, driving with license suspended in the second degree, resisting arrest and obstructing law enforcement, according to police records.
In May 2010 Aswell was one of four people detained following a gang related assault on West Third Avenue. He was cited for unlawful possession of a weapon.
Last November Aswell reportedly fled on foot from the Grant County District courthouse in Moses Lake. He was appearing for nine cases involving everything from driving while license suspended to resisting arrest and obstructing a police officer. While facing a charge of violating his probation for DUI, Aswell reportedly fled the courtroom and ran for 15 minutes before being arrested.