Man accused of assaulting 2 people, threatening to kill brother
MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake man was reportedly tased after he assaulted his brother and his brother’s girlfriend in Moses Lake last weekend.
Grant County prosecutors charged Richard Karas, 48, of Moses Lake, in Grant County Superior Court with harassment (threats to kill) and two counts of fourth-degree assault-domestic violence.
On Jan. 27 the Grant County Sheriff’s Office received a report of some sort of incident involving a male with a knife. The caller reported the suspect, alleged to be Karas, “had a knife but put it down” and was “going after the neighbors.” Deputies and officers from the Moses Lake Police Department responded to the location in the 7600 block of McBee Street Northeast in Moses Lake. While en route to the scene, MACC Dispatch advised Karas had left in a silver pickup truck and turned in front of a police officer.
The truck was pulled over at McDougall Avenue and Shorecrest Drive Northeast. Karas was reportedly agitated, acting verbally aggressive and was verbally uncooperative. At some point during the traffic stop Karas took off and started heading toward the 7600 block of McBee Street Northeast. Karas parked the car in a driveway, got out and started shouting and acting aggressive/agitated. Karas refused to get onto the ground and he allegedly approached a deputy at the location.
“Richard continued walking towards me, so I fired my Taser at his torso region. The Taser probes struck Richard, and he fell to his knees. Richard showed me his hands and at first complied, but then got back to his feet and became extremely aggressive. I pulled the Taser on the trigger again, and Richard fell back to the ground,” wrote a deputy.
Officers were eventually able to get Karas’ hands behind his back and into handcuffs. Officers later responded to Samaritan Hospital after learning the male who contacted authorities had been transported to the hospital.
The male, Karas’ brother, claimed Karas kicked his bedroom door in and told him and his girlfriend he was going to kill their chickens. Karas allegedly “smacked” the woman, followed her as she ran away and struck her in the face. Karas’ brother confronted him, but Karas allegedly slammed the man against a wall and struck him several times. Karas reportedly continued assaulting his brother near the driveway and kicked and punched him in the head several times.
When the victim told Karas he was calling the police, Karas allegedly said “if he was not arrested, he was going to kill (his brother).”
Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.
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