Suspect found dead in car after police pursuit

Charles H. Featherstone, Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, Wash.
·2 min read

Jun. 1—The following story contains information that might be traumatic for some readers. Discretion is advised.

MOSES LAKE — A man sought in connection with a domestic dispute appears to have taken his own life during an encounter with Moses Lake Police officers Tuesday night, according to MLPD Capt. Mike Williams.

Williams said officers were dispatched to a domestic disturbance at around 6:45 p.m. Tuesday. When they arrived, they were told a man in his mid-20s, who was not from Moses Lake, had left the scene and was reportedly armed. Williams declined to comment on the man's role in the disturbance.

"An officer located the suspect and followed him, and then a second officer arrived," Williams said.

Williams said police located the man in the 2200 block of South Beaumont Drive just before 7 p.m. When the officers turned on their lights, the suspect appeared to lose control of his vehicle, which veered from side to side on Beaumont Drive until it crashed into a mailbox and came to a stop.

"As near as we can tell, the vehicle went out of control the moment the officers turned on their lights," Williams said.

Officers waited at the scene for roughly 20 minutes for body armor so they could approach the vehicle safely, Williams said. When they did, they discovered the driver appeared to have shot himself, he said.

Williams said the driver, whose name was not given, was transported to Samaritan Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Williams gave no further details about the encounter, adding that he was unsure whether or not the man's next of kin had yet been notified.

The MLPD captain added that Tuesday was a difficult night for Moses Lake officers, who responded to three suicide-related calls, two of which were successfully de-escalated.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal feelings, call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255. The hotline is available 24 hours per day, seven days a week. There is a North Central Washington Crisis line as well, 800-852-2923.

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached at cfeatherstone@columbiabasinherald.com.