Wanted felon apprehended in Soap Lake

SOAP LAKE — A felon who was wanted in connection with a serious injury collision in Moses Lake last month was arrested in Soap Lake Wednesday night.

Grant County deputies, U.S. Marshals and officers assigned to the U.S. Marshal’s Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force were able to track Nicholas Romero Rivera, 29, of Moses Lake, to a residence in the 20000 block of Road A Northeast.

Romero Rivera was wanted in connection with a mid-December incident in which he allegedly led police on a high speed chase and crashed his vehicle. The crash left Romero Rivera and his female passenger with serious injuries. The female received a massive head injury and Romero Rivera was taken to a Spokane hospital for treatment. Romero Rivera has been charged by prosecutors in Grant County Superior Court with vehicular assault, second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and attempting to elude-endangerment by eluding a police vehicle.

Romero Rivera allegedly refused to leave the Soap Lake residence Wednesday night and, based on the suspect’s criminal history, deputies requested assistance from the Moses Lake Regional Tactical Response Team (TRT). Romero Rivera exited the home before TRT members arrived and he was taken into custody without incident. Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team detectives served a search warrant on the residence and seized an AR-22 rifle.

“Rivera’s capture was the result of great teamwork by all the agencies involved,” Sheriff Tom Jones said. “Rivera’s prior decisions and actions caused a young lady to have to suffer with severe injuries, and I’m glad Rivera is now in jail so he can face the charges.”

Romero Rivera is being held in the Grant County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.

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