Multi-agency effort leads to DUI arrest

SOAP LAKE — Michael Butterly, 39, who lives near Soap Lake, has been charged with a DUI after two incidents in which officers encountered him driving dangerously in Soap Lake and Ephrata, respectively.

According to a press release from the Soap Lake Police Department, on Feb. 3, SLPD Officer Robert Geates observed a sedan traveling at a high rate of speed while on patrol in Soap Lake. The release states that Geates clocked the vehicle going at least 15 miles per hour over the posted speed limits in two separate locations.

The release states that Geates pulled the vehicle over on SR-28 at about 9 p.m. just past Road 19 Northwest in the westbound lane.

The release goes on to state that upon making contact with the vehicle, Geates allegedly observed the odor of intoxicants coming from the vehicle and the driver to have watery eyes and slurred speech.

Butterly, who was found to be driving the vehicle, would only roll his window down about two inches to talk to Geates, according to the release.

SLPD Chief Ryan Cox said the window is noted in the release because it is an early indicator of someone being possibly uncooperative with law enforcement. This was coupled with the fact that SLPD has had numerous contacts with Butterly and past encounters with him had escalated quickly to physical altercations, Cox said. SLDP has cited Butterly seven times since 2011.

Geates observed several times where Butterly showed agitation and intent not to comply with authorities, including revving his engine and refusing to come out of the vehicle.

Due to this behavior, Geates advised dispatchers to send several more units to the scene, according to the release, two from Ephrata Police Department and one from Grant County Sheriff’s Office. At one point, officers placed spike strips in front of the vehicle in case Butterly tried to flee.

The release concludes that after several minutes, Butterly exited the vehicle and voluntarily submitted to field sobriety tests. Geates conducted these tests. A breathalyzer test showed a valid sample of 0.261 from the portable breath test, according to the release. The legal limit for Washington State is 0.08.

The release concludes that Butterly was arrested on suspicion of DUI charges and transported to the Grant County Jail. Once at the jail, the release states Butterly completed a voluntary Draeger Test, returning samples of 0.244, 0.250, 0.247 and 0.250.

This is Soap Lake’s second suspected DUI this year, though the first was not associated with Butterly, Cox said.

Despite the DUI charge along with a speeding citation, Butterly could not be booked into the Grant County Jail due to jail restrictions associated with the pandemic. The restrictions would only allow Butterly to be held for a DUI if he had prior DUIs in the last 10 years, which he did not, or if he was being charged with a felony.

This was not the end of Butterly’s interaction with law enforcement, however.

According to EPD Captain Erik Koch, Butterly was arrested in the early morning hours of Feb. 9 in Ephrata on charges of false reporting, reckless driving, attempting to elude law enforcement and resisting arrest.

EPD was notified just after midnight by an Ephrata resident that Butterly was leaving a residence drunk and heading to a bar. EPD made contact outside the bar with Butterly and advised him not to drive.

It was then that Koch said Butterly allegedly called in a false report of a collision in order to distract the officers who made contact with him. He then snuck around the building to his car and left.

Officers initially pursued him but determined that it was safer to not pursue once they observed him heading out of Ephrata toward the Sagebrush Flats area.

Koch said a short time later the officers headed towards the direction Butterly had gone to make sure he had not crashed.

While traveling in that direction, officers observed Butterly heading back toward Ephrata and again attempted to pull him over. Again he eluded police.

Later officers located his vehicle at an Ephrata residence where they got permission to enter from the resident and arrested Butterly.

The charges for that night along with a failure to appear warrant for DUI charges were enough to book him and he is currently being housed at the Grant County Jail on $10,150 bail, according to a GCSO spokesperson.

Koch said there has been an uptick in DUI contacts in the last couple of months and if you suspect someone to be driving under the influence, call 911 and follow at a safe distance if possible.