NEWS BITES: July 28, 2025

EPHRATA — Grant County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Josh Erickson recently earned Certified Jail Manager certification through the American Jail Association.  

“Achieving CJM status demonstrates that he has met rigorous qualifications in key areas such as leadership, legal compliance, operations, safety and inmate services,” wrote GCSO Chief Deputy Phil Coats. “His commitment to upholding the highest standards of jail management not only reflects his personal excellence but also enhances the reputation and operational integrity of our agency.” 

EPHRATA — A Moses Lake man was sentenced to 37.5 years in prison Tuesday in connection with a 2022 incident where he shot at Grant County Sheriff’s Office deputies. 

Robert Gwinn pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree assault with a firearm and one count of second-degree assault. He was sentenced to 30.5 years for the first-degree assault charge and seven years for the second-degree assault charge. 

Gwinn was sentenced in connection with an incident in July 2022 on Stratford Road near Road 7 Northeast, according to a GCSO release. Two GCSO deputies responded to assist bail bondsmen in arresting Gwinn, who pulled the car he was driving into a driveway when Deputy Tyson Voss attempted to make contact. Gwinn opened fire on Voss, who returned fire and hit Gwinn in the shoulder. Gwinn was arrested a short time later when Moses Lake Police Department officers made a maneuver that stopped him. The car Gwinn was driving was stolen, the GCSO release said.  

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Health District lifted a water quality advisory for the Pelican Horn area of Moses Lake on Thursday afternoon. The advisory was issued July 10, after a partially broken sewer pipe in the city of Moses Lake’s system allowed raw sewage to be spilled into the lake. 

“Recent lake water testing confirms that E.coli levels have returned to levels considered normal for Moses Lake. Throughout the incident, GCHD and the city of Moses Lake conducted regular water testing. Test results have shown steady improvement over the past several days, with levels now returning to the baseline typically seen in Moses Lake,” according to a GCHD press release.  

City workers found the partially broken line July 7, after public works staff noticed some discrepancies in the sewer system. The first phase of repairs was completed July 12.  

MOSES LAKE — Cesar Sandoval was sworn in as the newest officer on the Moses Lake Police Department on Thursday. Sandoval was sworn in by Chief Dave Sands in the presence of MLPD officers, staff and family. 

RITZVILLE — The Ritzville Police Department is investigating a crash that damaged a transport van used by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office on July 21. The van was driving on North Adams Street when a vehicle traveling on West Broadway Avenue failed to stop at a stop sign and hit the van.  

The van was not transporting inmates, and the ACSO corrections deputies in the van, and the driver of the other vehicle were not injured, according to an ACSO release.