Richland shooting suspect arrested in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE - A 28-year-old man who allegedly opened fire at a occupied vehicle in Richland last week was arrested Monday afternoon in Moses Lake.

James Leroy Davis, who has ties to Moses Lake and Richland, was arrested about 4:30 p.m. Monday at a home in the 1100 block of South Ashley Way, cited for three counts of first-degree assault. Moses Lake Police Capt. Dave Sands said the U.S. Marshals Task Force was able to track Davis down in Moses Lake with the help of the Richland and Moses Lake police departments.

Richland Police Capt. Mike Cobb said Tuesday Davis was hiding at a relative's home in Moses Lake and called Moses Lake police to turn himself in. Davis told officers the pressure exerted by law enforcement across the Basin made hiding out too difficult. He was taken into custody without incident and initially booked into Grant County Jail Monday before heading to Benton County Jail Tuesday afternoon. Cobb said Richland police investigators drove to Ephrata Tuesday to interview Davis.

Richland police have been looking for Davis since the night of Dec. 4 when he stepped out of a Jeep Commander on Bitterroot Drive in Richland, and opened fire on a Ford Explorer where two men and a woman were inside, hitting the vehicle at least a dozen times, according to Richland police.

One round from what witnesses described as a rifle went through the pants of a 32-year-old male inside the vehicle, grazing his leg. Nobody else in the vehicle was injured. Another round also struck a nearby apartment complex, Richland police said.

Davis, and Lowell L. Singleton, 37, also inside the Jeep, fled the area following the alleged shooting. Officers located 20 shell casings at the scene.

Davis was reportedly having a dispute with the victims, according to reports.

Singleton turned himself in to police Thursday night but no charges have been filed at this time for Singleton. Richland police are still investigating the incident to determine Singleton's role in the incident, including searching the suspected vehicle, which was recovered in Sunnyside, and interviewing witnesses, according to Cobb.

Davis also had warrants out of Benton County for obstruction and driving with a suspended license, according to Moses Lake police records. He is being held on $250,000 bail.

Cobb said the positive partnership between Richland and Moses Lake police, as well as U.S. Marshals, was crucial to finding Davis.