Coulee City man charged for allegedly firing shots at neighbors

EPHRATA — A self-admitted methamphetamine user was charged for allegedly firing several shots from a handgun at his neighbors and barricading himself inside his Coulee City home.

Grant County prosecutors charged Christopher Krauer, 49, of Coulee City, with two counts of first-degree assault, one count of second-degree assault and one count of resisting arrest.

On Christmas Eve the Grant County Sheriff’s Office received a report of shots fired near the 300 block of South Second Street, in Coulee City. The reporting party later told deputies he had stepped out of the back of his house and upon reaching the alley, he saw his neighbor, Krauer, sitting in a van. Krauer allegedly backed out of his driveway and attempted to run his neighbor over, according to police records.

The reporting party took off running, but Krauer stopped his van, got out and pointed a handgun at his neighbor and fired two shots. The victim claims he ran into his home and Krauer went to the side of the house and fired three more shots. Krauer allegedly fired three additional shots during the brief altercation.

Deputies reported having past contact with Krauer on several different occasions and knew him to be erratic in his behavior.

“I have dealt with him in the past as he has called in several times saying people are defrauding him. He is also a self-admitted methamphetamine user,” wrote a deputy. “It should be noted on Dec. 18, 2016, he was involved in a domestic dispute with his mother where a handgun was involved.”

Due to their past contact with the suspect and knowledge of his behavior, deputies cautiously approached Krauer’s East Chelan Street, which he had barricaded himself inside. Deputies made several attempts to make contact with Krauer via megaphone and his cellphone, but the suspect did not initially respond. He later started yelling at the deputies who had gathered outside his house.

“He was highly agitated at us, telling us to get off (his property) and to leave him alone,” wrote a deputy. “I told him we were not going anywhere until we got the situation resolved.”

Deputies were able to get a signed telephonic search warrant for Krauer’s home and the Moses Lake Regional Tactical Response Team (TRT) was called and responded. TRT negotiators talked to Krauer on and off for about an hour and tried to get him to surrender, but Krauer refused to leave the house.

TRT units were forced to deploy tear gas into the upper portion of the house and Krauer was taken into custody after TRT members used less-lethal bean bag rounds to get him to comply. TRT members searched the house and recovered a loaded 20-gauge shotgun with seven shells in the cylinder and one shell in the chamber. In addition, a .380 Taurus handgun was found in the residence, according to police records.

Deputies searched the area where Krauer allegedly fired the handgun at his neighbors, but they were reportedly unable to find any spent shell casings.

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