2 men accused of hitting Tri-Cities police officers with cars within days
Two men are in jail accused of hurting police officers in separate incidents while allegedly trying to escape.
Henry Junior Lopez allegedly led police on a short chase that ended with him crashing into a police car on Columbia Park Trail on Friday. He reportedly had two teen passengers.
Two days later, David Richard Katon, 38, hit an officer’s leg as he was pulling out of a parking space at the Red Lion Inn. Officers caught him after he crashed on Highway 395 in Kennewick.
Both men made their first appearance this week in Benton County Superior Court.
Lopez is being held in the Benton County jail on suspicion of three counts of vehicular assault, attempting to elude police, reckless endangerment, DUI and driving without a license or a required ignition interlock.
Deputy Prosecutor Andrew Clark asked for $100,000 in bail during the hearing, pointing out that he ran from police, and has a history of driving drunk that dates back to convictions from when he was still a minor.
Between his criminal history and his continued drinking, Clark didn’t believe there was a chance Lopez would return to court on his own.
His attorney, Jessica Hazelton, argued that she didn’t feel there was enough evidence to hold him on the vehicular assault changes.
She noted police did not describe the “substantial bodily harm” necessary to prove the crime. In addition, she said his prior DUI convictions were old, and that he had several family members in the area. She asked for $15,000 bail.
Court Commissioner Megan Whitmire settled on holding him in lieu of $75,000 bail.
Katon, a transient, is being held on suspicion of second-degree assault, attempting to elude police, identity theft, driving without a license, obstructing and resisting arrest.
Clark also asked for $100,000 bail pointing out that he has previous convictions for second-degree robbery and illegally possessing guns. He has also failed to show up to court 12 times.
In addition, Katon represented a danger to community, Clark said.
Hazelton asked for $5,000 in bail. She said most of his criminal history was not violent and he had lived in the community for 10 years. She also noted problems with the case for identity theft and possessing a stolen gun.
Whitmire said Katon’s criminal history and the allegations in the case made made her seriously concerned about community safety. She agreed to set bail at $100,000.
The police officers in both cases were treated at local hospitals for their injuries.
Columbia Park crash
Investigators believe Lopez was drunk and high on marijuana before getting behind the wheel in Richland at the Columbia Park Marina, according to court documents.
Officers were called about 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24, after witnesses spotted the car about to drive into the Columbia River. The caller believed the driver was intoxicated and wasn’t intending to end up in the water.
When the officer arrived, he watched the silver BMW make a wide left across the fog line onto Columbia Park Trail, according to court documents. The car then made a turn into the Reach Museum parking lot.
The officer signaled the other car to stop, but Lopez allegedly kept going, making another large left turn.
The BMW appeared to be accelerating slowly as it headed west. Another officer used a pursuit tactic to spin the BMW around.
After being spun, Lopez, 41, was still heading west and started speeding up, hitting a Richland officer’s car.
Once he was stopped, police found there were two 14-year-old girls, who believed Lopez was 18. They both surrendered quickly, but Lopez appeared confused.
Once officers pulled him out of the car, they smelled alcohol and marijuana. Police also found “buzzballs.” The ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages are 15% alcohol by volume. That’s about the same percentage of alcohol as malt beverages, wine and liqueurs.
One girl told officers they were “smoking and drinking” and driving fast before police showed up. When the officer tried to signal for him to stop, Lopez allegedly said he couldn’t get caught and took off.
Investigators said both girls and the officer suffered minor injuries.
Lopez denied drinking or using drugs before he asked for an attorney.
Pinned officer
About 11:15 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 26, a Kennewick officer saw a silver Chevy Malibu that he knew was often driven by a women who was wanted on Franklin County warrants.
David Richard Katon was behind the wheel instead.
After explaining why they were contacting him, Katon began shifting around and the officers spotted a Smith and Wesson handgun on a passenger seat.
One officer ordered Katon out of the car but, instead, he appeared to reach for the gun. The officer standing on the passenger side pulled his gun and pointed it at Katon, said court documents.
“Suddenly, David started the vehicle and rapidly reversed. The front passenger side of the vehicle swung toward me in which the front passenger side of the vehicle impacted my right leg/knee,” wrote Officer Kaleb Christensen.
Christensen’s leg was pinned between the Malibu and another car before Katon sped east on Clearwater Avenue. The officers gave chase through Kennewick at speeds reaching up to 70 mph, said court documents.
When Katon reached Highway 395, he allegedly drove the wrong way along part of the highway before crashing at the 10th Avenue intersection.
He refused to leave the car, and was pulled out by officers.
Katon has previous convictions for possession of stolen property, second-degree robbery and illegally possessing a gun. All of which meant he wasn’t allowed to have a gun.
When police searched the car, they found a 9mm handgun. It had been reported stolen during a vehicle prowl on Nov. 18 in Pasco, said investigators.
Police also reported finding a bag with a large amount of what appeared to be narcotics along with a digital scale.
