Transient charged with residential burglary, malicious mischief

EPHRATA — A homeless man allegedly told police he broke into a laundry room at a Moses Lake residence because people were chasing him.

Grant County prosecutors charged Antonio Cruz, 40, a transient, with residential burglary and third-degree malicious mischief in Grant County Superior Court.

Tuesday night the Moses Lake Police Department received a report of a burglary in the 9700 block of Sunny Drive Northeast. Police were advised a male suspect had broken into a washroom and was attempting to gain entry into the Sunny Drive residence, according to police records.

Officers arrived at the residence, which is a part of a duplex, and attempted to gain entry into the laundry room. Police could reportedly hear someone moving around inside of the room, but the door was locked. A officer attempted to push the door and the door reportedly “gave a little,” as if something was against the door or someone was pushing back against the door.

A MLPD officer eventually kicked the door open and observed Cruz lying on the ground with his upper body leaned up against another door. When the door was kicked officers reportedly heard Cruz hit the door across the room.

“I had dealt with Antonio the night before and was aware of his officer safety flag in regards to weapons,” wrote a officer. “I could not see Antonio's hands as he was turned away from us. I drew my gun and ordered Antonio to show us his hands. Antonio's hands were dropped near his waist and he was kneeling on the floor.”

Cruz eventually complied with directives and was taken into custody. The reporting party told police she was in her bedroom when someone started pounding on the back windows of her residence. She said she went to the front door, thinking the person was someone she knew, and observed Cruz in her laundry room.

Cruz allegedly attempted to gain entry into the woman’s house by pounding on the door. The woman advised that Cruz gained entry into the laundry room by breaking the door knob to the outer door. The woman’s husband said he had to hold onto the interior door into his residence to keep Cruz from coming inside the house. Both the woman and her husband stated they did not know who Cruz was.

Cruz told police he had been running from some unknown people and he allegedly “appeared to be extremely paranoid.” Cruz wasn’t able to tell officers who was chasing him, but allegedly stated “they were the same guys we (officers) arrested,” according to police records.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbibasinherald.com.