Appeals court upholds 2010 crime spree conviction

EPHRATA - An appellate court upheld convictions for a man found guilty of running from police and holding a woman captive in a 2010 Grant County Superior Court case.

Washington State Court of Appeals, Division III ruled the state provided enough evidence to support seven of the eight charges against Antonio Garcia Valle.

The Yakima man challenged whether the evidence provided to the jury fit the crimes they convicted him for, according to court records.

The case started in late July 2010, when Quincy police officers sought Valle in connection to a burglary the day before, according to the opinion. Officers watching Valle's residence saw him riding away from the home. When police stopped the car, Valle jumped out, running into a corn field. While he was in the field, a crop-dusting plane sprayed the field.

Valle fled into a nearby home, where a woman and her three children were staying at. The victim was house-sitting for her in-laws. Her 11-year-old daughter was sleeping, and her 5-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter with her in the living room.

"Mr. Valle walked in to the room, soaking wet and appearing anxious," according to court records. "He told her not to tell the police he was in the house.  Upon realizing he was hiding from the police, (the victim) became concerned for her children and began thinking of ways to get them out of the house. She was afraid to move for fear it would make Mr. Valle angry."

 When Valle went into the kitchen, the victim placed the younger children with their sister and had them lock the door, according to court records. Valle began pacing and commanded her not to tell police he was in the residence. When an officer appeared outside, the victim gestured that Valle was inside.

She opened the door and several officers entered and subdued Mr. Valle after a struggle," according to court records. "(The victim) subsequently discovered that the door to the master bedroom had broken hinges and the closet in that bedroom had been disturbed, although nothing was missing."

The jury convicted Valle of two counts of residential burglary, second degree theft, unlawful imprisonment, obstructing a public servant, intimidating a witness, coercion and third degree malicious mischief, according to court records.

Grant County Superior Court Judge John Knodell imposed an exceptional sentence for Valle, based on the unpunished multiple offenses resulting from the standard sentencing range, according to court records. Knodell sentenced the man to 20 years in prison.

Valle argued he didn't obstruct a public servant when he fled from the Quincy police officer who tried stopping the car he was riding in, according to analysis. His attorney contended resisting arrest was the proper charge.

The judges disagreed, ruling Valle wasn't under arrest when he fled, so the charge of resisting arrest didn't apply.

"The record shows that Mr. Valle jumped out of the van and started running before the police car had even attempted to pull the van over," according to court records. "(The officer) yelled, "Stop.  Police." He did not tell Mr. Valle that he was under arrest. The sergeant had merely been conducting surveillance for another department and had no other involvement with the case when Mr. Valle fled."

Valle argued prosecutors didn't prove he committed residential burglary because the evidence didn't show he entered the residence with the "intent to commit a crime," according to court records.

The judges disagreed, pointing out Valle entered the residence to hide from the pursuing officers, according to the police report. Valle entered the house intending to continue obstructing police by hiding.

Valle argued his statements to the victim in the house were not a threat, so the state couldn't prove unlawful imprisonment, witness intimidation or coercion, according to court records. He called the statements requests, rather than threats.

 "A jury was free to conclude otherwise given all of the circumstances," according to court records. "Mr. Valle had entered the house without invitation and without apparent fear of the woman and young children he encountered inside. He paced the premises, repeatedly entering the master bedroom, and used the kitchen without hesitation. Having young children in her care, (the victim) was not in a  position to put them at risk by contesting Mr. Valle's statements. The jury could conclude that Mr. Valle had taken control of the house and that his directives to (the victim) were commands to refrain from acting."

The judges did dismiss a count of third degree malicious mischief, stating the prosecutors didn't provide any evidence to the cost of the damage Valle did, according to court records.

Valle challenged the exceptional sentence as well, stating the judge used an incorrect reason for the sentence, according to court records. The judges ruled Knodell could have gotten to the sentence through a different means.