Intoxicated man allegedly makes death threats, fires gun

MATTAWA — K-9 Grizzly came up big for the Grant County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday after he was able to sniff out a gun that was used by an intoxicated male who allegedly made death threats and fired the weapon.

Early Wednesday morning the Grant County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Dave De La Rosa and K-9 Deputy Grizzly assisted the Mattawa and Royal City police departments after receiving a call about an intoxicated male making death threats and shooting outside of a residence.

Law enforcement arrived to the area in the 21100 block of Road 24.7 Southwest just after midnight and learned the suspect, Reymundo Hernandez, 40, of Mattawa, had already left on foot and was believed to be armed. Nearby homes were evacuated and searched, but Hernandez wasn’t found, according to sheriff’s office spokesperson Sharon Palmerton. A witness relayed that at least one round was fired by the suspect as he was making threats outside of a residence. Hernandez was taken into custody after he was reportedly found passed out near a chicken coop at a nearby residence.

The weapon wasn’t immediately found and K-9 Grizzly was able to locate the gun, along with spent ammunition, in some sand near the chicken coop. Hernandez was booked into the Grant County Jail for felony harassment and first-degree assault.

“Only recently back on the job after recovering from surgery, I think we can say Grizz is feeling much better. It’s great to have him back,” Sheriff Tom Jones.