News bites for May 15

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake man was booked into the Grant County Jail Thursday on suspicion of first-degree assault following an argument with a juvenile that ended with the man allegedly shooting the juvenile in the neck.

Moses Lake Police Department Captain Dave Sands said in a press release that the incident occurred at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday at the Shorewood Trailer Park, 1844 W. Broadway Ave. The 24-year-old man got in a dispute with a 16-year-old over the 24-year-old’s dog, Sands said. When the argument ended the 16-year-old left, then returned to the 24-year-old’s residence with a firearm. The 24-year-old also got a firearm.

The 16-year-old brandished the weapon at the 24-year-old and his girlfriend, the press release said.

“The juvenile disengaged and left the immediate area. The resident followed, and shots were fired, striking the juvenile,” the press release said. “Officers recovered a replica BB gun near the juvenile as well as a 9mm firearm from the 24-year-old.”

The case is still under investigation.

VANTAGE — A Richland man was killed and his passenger was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center after a collision at the intersection of State Routes 26 and 243 early Friday evening.

Abhinav Srivastava, 32, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a press release from the Washington State Patrol. Srivastava was stopped at the intersection of SR 26 and SR 243, but then drove onto the intersection, failing to yield to an eastbound truck, the press release said. The collision occurred about 6:20 p.m.

Srivastava’s car was t-boned on the driver’s side by the truck, driven by Robert Wagner, 47, Troy, Idaho, the press release said. Srivastava’s passenger, Stuti Srivastava, 28, Richland, also was injured and had to be airlifted to Harborview. Wagner was not injured.

Srivastava’s car came to rest on the westbound shoulder, while the truck came to rest in the middle of SR 26, blocking both the westbound and eastbound lanes. The road reopened about 9 p.m., according to information from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.

ROYAL CITY — An unidentified man was killed when he drove onto the westbound shoulder, overcorrected and lost control of his car about 18 miles northeast of Royal City late Thursday night.

The man, from Belfair, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a press release from the Washington State Patrol He was driving westbound on SR 262 at about 11:40 p.m. when he lost control after overcorrecting and rolled the car, the WSP press release said. He was the only person in the vehicle, the release said.

OLYMPIA — The Washington State Patrol is warning residents that scammers are using WSP-associated phone numbers to obtain personal information from the victims.

“The scammers call and identify themselves as an officer, trooper or detective from WSP and tell the (victim) that their ID was used and is connected to a crime being investigated in another state or country,” the press release said. “They then seek actual personal information.”

Scammers are using WSP-associated phone numbers, so they have told victims to look up the numbers to check their validity, the press release said. They also provide the victim with a fake case number if it’s requested.

“In the rare occurrence that someone from WSP has a legitimate need to talk to you, the contact will not be seeking your personal or financial information and will be easily verifiable by multiple means,” the press release said.

People should hang up if they are suspicious, the press release said. People who get a call like that are asked to contact 911 and tell the dispatcher about the call, the time and content and the number used.

ELLENSBURG — The Washington Department of Natural Resources and other participating agencies will conduct an aerial rehearsal to get ready for the upcoming fire season from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday near the Naneum Ridge State Forest. The site is about 15 miles north of Ellensburg.

“Multiple aircraft will mobilize from several area airports simultaneously to practice maneuvering safely together in congested airspace,” according to a DNR press release. “The exercise will include the use of smoke to replicate wildfire conditions.”