Moses Lake man arrested after running from law enforcement, getting tasered

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake man was booked on suspicion of first-degree criminal trespassing Sept. 1 after allegedly threatening behavior toward Moses Lake Police Department officers caused them to tase him. 

Gary Swager, 50, allegedly was trespassing on private property near Central Drive, according to a MLPD media release. Swager has been issued trespassing citations in the past, the MLPD release said, claiming to own the property in question, although he doesn’t. 

Swager allegedly disregarded demands from the officers and ran away from the scene. 

“As pursuing officers got close to him, Swager turned with a knife-shaped object and took a fighting stance. As the officer began to try to deescalate the situation, Swager turned and ran again,” the release said.  

The MLPD officer deployed the taser as Swager tried to run, it said.  

“The taser assisted Swager to the ground and helped him drop the object in his hands,” the MLPD release said. “It also, inexplicably, caused one of his shoes to come off.” 

Swager was not injured. The object he was carrying was determined to be a black battery pack, the release said. 

According to the Grant County Jail Roster, Swager was booked for second-degree criminal trespassing, first-degree criminal trespassing and resisting arrest. As of Aug. 8, his bail was set at $2,000.