Law Enforcement Reports

The following reports were posted Friday, April 3, 2026:

EPHRATA POLICE

A theft was reported at 3:03 p.m. Thursday, April 2, in the 1100 block of Basin Street S.W. Police were told that a man and woman were seen leaving the Ephrata Safeway store with a cart of unpaid merchandise. The two suspects were identified and officers located the man around 8 p.m. in the 100 block of E Street N.E. Marc Bryan Sass, 39, Ephrata, was arrested without incident on suspicion of third-degree theft and violation of a court no-contact/protection order due to his assocation with the female suspect. Sass was booked into the Grant County Jail.

A two-vehicle, non-injury collision was reported at 5:32 p.m. Thursday, April 2 in the 1100 block of Basin Street S.W. Police said a 16-year-old Ephrata girl driving a 2018 Toyota Corolla struck a parked 2007 Ford Focus, then left the scene. An officer located the girl, who admitted to the incident but said she didn’t know whether damage to the Ford was new or old. The girl said she waited at the scene for a few minutes, then departed. The complainant was not sure whether she wanted to seek charges against the teen.

A theft was reported at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, in the 1300 block of Nat Washington Way. Police were told that a man and woman had pushed out a cart full of merchandise without paying at the Ephrata Walmart store. The suspects were not immediately identified but a photo of their vehicle was obtained. The incident was under investigation.

A theft was reported at 8:10 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, in the 200 block of Nat Washington Way. Authorities said a 49-year-old Ephrata man who frequently visits the cafeteria at Columbia Basin Hospital had stolen food and became verbally aggressive with staff members. Police were asked to pursue theft charges against the man and he was trespassed from the hospital grounds for one year.

While on patrol at 1:25 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, an officer was flagged down in the 700 block of Basin Street N.W. by a male subject who requested a battery jump-start for his vehicle. The officer suspected the 18-year-old Soap Lake man was under the influence of alcohol or drugs and requested assistance from the Washington State Patrol. A trooper conducted field-sobriety tests and later transported the man to Columbia Basin Hospital for a blood draw.

A burglary was reported at 6:25 p.m. Monday, March 30, in the 200 block of A Street N.E. Police were told that two storage units had been broken into, but it did not appear that anything was taken. The property owner repaired locks on the two units.

A burglary was reported at 3:03 p.m. Sunday, March 29, in the 200 block of Basin Street S.W. The complainant said unknown suspects unplugged a security camera and entered the building through a wall opening which previously contained an air conditioner unit. There was an unsuccessful attempt to open a cash register, but two $20 bills in a display were stolen.

A disturbance was reported at 2:32 p.m. on Friday, March 27, in the first block of Basin Street S.W. Police were told that a female subject was throwing objects and behaving in an erratic manner. An officer contacted the woman, who denied the claim and said it was another person. It was determined that the woman, identified as 28-year-old Nicole Ann Shenefelt of Ephrata, was wanted on an outstanding court warrant. She was taken into custody and booked into the county jail.

A 1:21 p.m. on Friday, March 27, an officer observed a wanted subject on Pioneer Avenue S.E. When approached, the male suspect fled on foot but was located hiding in some bushes on nearby Lee Street. James Hawkeye Taylor, 26, Ephrata, was arrested and booked into jail on an outstanding district court warrant and suspicion of obstructing a law enforcement officer.

GRANT COUNTY SHERIFF

A theft in progress was reported at 2:34 p.m. Tuesday, March 31 in the 1000 block of North Stratford Road at Moses Lake. Authorities were told that a male subject shoplifted merchandise from Walmart and fled in a vehicle which was later located by a deputy. Leonard Lee Knigge, 61, Moses Lake, was arrested on suspicion of third-degree theft and second-degreee burglary after previously being banned from the store. Knigge was booked into the Grant County Jail and the stolen items were returned to Walmart.

A disturbance was reported at 11:27 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, in the 7000 block of Road O-NW near Quincy. A young child telephoned authorities and said her sister and an aunt were fighting. Fatima Cabrera Vargas, 18, Quincy, was arrested on suspicion of fourth-degree assault (domestic violence) and booked into the county jail.

A disturbance was reported at 11:50 p.m. Monday, March 30 in the 1900 block of Road A.5-NE. Authorities were told that a female subject arrived in a car and began yelling about someone getting pregnant. The woman was allegedly at the same location an hour earlier and hit a male family member during an argument. Lucia Rodriguez, 25, Ephrata, was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of fourth-degree assault (domestic violence) and criminal trespass. Ephrata police and the Washington State Patrol also assisted with the incident.

A one-vehicle, non-inury wreck was reported at 8:16 p.m. Monday, March 30, in the 23600 block of Boulder Lane SW in Mattawa. The complainant said a motorist crashed into a tree and fence on his property. Carlos Diaz Salgado, 44, Mattawa, was detained and booked into jail on suspicion of driving under the influence.

At 2:36 p.m. Monday, March 30, authorities were notified that a male subject appeared to be hitting a female passenger while driving in a blue Audi vehicle south of Moses Lake. A deputy located the car on Road M-SE and took the driver into custody. Marco Chavez Diaz, 40, Moses Lake, was booked into jail on suspicion of fourth-degree assault (domestic violence), unlawful imprisonment (domestic violence), and possession of methamphetamine.

A disturbance was reported at 7:35 p.m. Sunday, March 29, in the 100 block of Bing Avenue in George. Authorities were told that a male subject in a parking lot was chasing a female who was yelling “Get away from me.” Deputies responded and arrested Marc Bryan Sass, 39, Ephrata, on suspicion of fourth-degree assault (domestic violence), driving with a suspended license, and motor vehicle alcohol-ignition interlock violation. The woman, identified as 35-year-old Alyx Kylee Rodriguez of George, was arrested for violation of a court no-contact/protection for being with Sass. Both were booked into the county jail.

At 7:32 p.m. Saturday, March 28, a deputy located a wanted subject at an unspecified location. Michael Nathaniel Fale, 32, Ephrata, was arrested and booked into jail on five outstanding district court warrants.

A domestic disturbance was reported at 3:13 p.m. Saturday, March 28, in the 2300 block of Road 13-SE. The complainant said her husband had threatened and physically accosted her. Luis Alcala Ramirez, 23, Othello, was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of fourth-degree assault (domestic violence).

A domestic disturbance was reported at 3:58 p.m. on Friday, March 27, in the 9400 block of Maple Drive NE near Moses Lake. The complainant said her son’s former girlfriend had tried to run them over with her car. Emalea Grace Berko, 19, Moses Lake, was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of two counts of second-degree assault (domestic violence). 

A theft was reported at 10:28 a.m. on Friday, March 27, in the 13000 block of North Frontage Road East near Moses Lake. Authorities were told that 1000-gallon poly tanks valued at $10,000 had been stolen from M1 Tanks Inc. sometime around Feb. 11.