Ephrata man charged for attempting to elude deputies

SOAP LAKE — A Ephrata man was charged for attempting to elude deputies in a high-speed chase that reportedly reached 95 mph on county roads near Soap Lake.

Grant County prosecutors charged Richard Lester, 37, of Ephrata, with attempting to elude.

In the early morning hours of Jan. 21 Grant County Sheriff’s Office deputies attempted to pull over a vehicle with a defective headlamp that was traveling east on state Route 28. A deputy activated his emergency lights as the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Lester, turned north onto North Division Road, in Soap Lake, according to court documents.

Lester immediately pulled into a gas station at the corner of SR-28 and North Division Road and drove at a high speed through the parking lot. He pulled back out onto SR-28 and started heading east, reaching 65 mph in a posted 45 mph zone. Lester attempted to make a left turn into the city of Soap Lake, but was traveling too fast to make the turn and continued heading east. He eventually turned onto Road 20 Northwest, where he allegedly slammed on his brakes. He turned around near Road A.3 Northeast, slammed on his breaks and came to a stop.

“This time the driver put his upper body out of the driver side window and was yelling something at me,” wrote a deputy. “I could not make out what he was saying due to my emergency sirens being activated.”

Lester started heading west on SR-28, allegedly reaching speeds of 95 mph. He came to a stop just east of Road A Northwest and was told several times to step out of the vehicle, to which he allegedly responded “shoot me” several times. He momentarily got out of the vehicle, but got back in moments later and took off again. Authorities attempted to deploy a set of spike strips on the vehicle near Road A.7 Northwest, but Lester was able to drive around the strips.

“As Lester went around the spike strips he turned around again and started heading towards oncoming patrol vehicles. Lester stopped and revved his engine,” wrote a deputy. “It appeared as if Lester wanted to ram a patrol vehicle. Spike strips were again deployed as Lester was stationary. Lester took off again and this time he ran over a set of spike strips causing the right front tire to deflate.”

Lester continued driving east and slammed on his brakes again near Road A Northwest. A officer was able to talk the suspect out of the vehicle and he was taken into custody without further incident.

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