SLPD updates for early March
The body cam of SLPD Officer Robert Geates shows the situation where he, assisted by Grant County Sheriff’s Office and Ephrata Police Department, recovered a stolen Toyota Tacoma out of Ephrata in Lakeview. The Facebook post by SLPD states that Jose Fabian Sanchez was arrested at the scene.
Courtesy Photo/SLPD
SOAP LAKE - The Soap Lake Police Department has been busy the last couple of weeks, recovering stolen vehicles and receiving grants.
SLPD reported on several recent actions involving their officers on March 15
Evader
The first incident, on March 6, SLPD Officer Jeff Gallaher attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a blue 2010 Subaru Legacy with no license plates. This occurred around 8 p.m in the area of Canna Street S and 4th Ave SE.
The post states that, as Gallaher activated his lights, the vehicle fled from the traffic stop but due to the current laws, he could not pursue the vehicle.
A short time after the vehicle fled, Gallaher was able to locate the vehicle in the 500 block of 3rd Ave NE, with a male walking away from the vehicle, according to the post.
The man, identified as Matthew Conners, admitted to going 80 mph in a posted 30 mph zone and leaving the scene of the traffic stop upon contact with Gallaher. SLPD alleges that he admitted to using illegal substances prior to the incident.
Due to the illegal substances, Conners had to be medically cleared before being booked into Grant County Jail. Conners was later charged with attempting to elude a police vehicle, resisting arrest, driving while license suspended in the third degree and was also issued an infraction for failing to stop at a stop sign. He also was reported to have several outstanding warrants.
Found
Later that week, several SLPD officers located and recovered two stolen vehicles.
On March 9, Officer Trevor Jones and Officer Justin Rowland recovered a stolen Pontiac Grand Am by the skating rink in Lakeview, according to an SLPD report.
On March 12, Officer Robert Geates assisted Grant County Sheriff’s Office and Ephrata Police Department in the recovery of a stolen Toyota Tacoma out of Ephrata in Lakeview. The post states that Jose Fabian Sanchez was arrested at the scene.
Grants
During the March 16 Soap Lake City Council meeting, SLPD Chief Ryan Cox announced that SLPD had been the recipient of two grants.
The first was a $500 grant to purchase bicycle and skateboard helmets to hand out free of charge to Soap Lake children.
The second was an $1,800 grant through the Washington State Attorney General’s Office to purchase a new and larger refrigerator to house sexual assault test kits. Cox said they purchased the fridge through Moore Furniture in Ephrata, keeping the funds local. Enough money was left from the grant to purchase a five-year protection plan for the fridge.