Moses Lake eluder gets 6 1/2 months in jail

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake man who barricaded himself inside of a home in the Larson community last month after leading police on a high-speed chase will be spending over six months in jail.

Robert Gwinn, 38, of Moses Lake, previously pleaded guilty in Grant County Superior Court to attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle. On Monday the prosecution argued for an eight-month sentence, while the defense argued for a three-month term. Judge John Antosz did not follow either of the recommendations and instead imposed a 6.5-month, 195-day, jail sentence.

The sentence relates to an Aug. 17 call the Grant County Sheriff’s Office received in reference to a suspicious person in the 4400 block of Road L Northeast. The caller said she had a protection order to serve against Gwinn and he was at the Road L Northeast residence to drop off their daughter.

When deputies arrived Gwinn was pulling out of the driveway and a pursuit was initiated after he refused to pull over. He fled at high speeds and was able to maneuver around a set of spike strips at Road 4 Northeast and Road K Northeast, after which he made his way into the city of Moses Lake and turned onto West Valley Road. He then turned onto Airway Drive, went past the Grant County Fairgrounds and made a left turn onto state Route 17, where he reached speeds in excess of 110 mph. Gwinn made a right turn onto Randolph Road Northeast and later turned onto Patton Boulevard Northeast.

Two officers in an unmarked car were in the area and started to set up spike strips at the intersection of 22nd Avenue Northeast and Turnkey Road Northeast. The unmarked police vehicle was parked in the northbound lane and the two officers were in the back of the vehicle, preparing to throw spike strips in front of Gwinn’s vehicle.

Gwinn started to drive into the other lane and nearly struck the police vehicle head-on before he swerved back into the southbound lane. Authorities lost sight of Gwinn at the corner of Lowry Street and Falcon Lane. His vehicle was later located in the 400 block of Biggs Drive. It was learned he had entered a residence in the 1000 block of Vandenburg Loop, which is a residence he was trespassed from back in March.

The residence was surrounded by police, but Gwinn refused to leave and the Moses Lake Regional Tactical Response Team (TRT) was activated. Gwinn left the residence after about an hour and was taken into custody without further incident.

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