Two Kennewick men were arrested early Friday after reportedly swiping a car from a Pasco home and leading police on a chase through town.
Pasco police were called at 1 a.m. Friday after a resident in the 1500 block of North Fourth Avenue reported hearing someone outside and seeing them drive off in his Honda CRX, said Capt. Jim Raymond.
Responding officers first spotted the car at 14th Avenue and Howard Street, and the driver briefly stopped the car. But as officers were ordering the men out of the car, the driver sped off, Raymond said.
Officers chased the car for a short time, but ended the pursuit in the area of Fourth Avenue and Interstate 182, he said. Speeds reached 90 mph in a 25 mph residential zone, court documents said.
The car was spotted again in the area of 20th Avenue and the highway, and officers followed it as it went on Road 68 near Burden Road.
The driver, later identified as Jose Isidro Cisneros, 26, again accelerated away from the officers but police finally found the car near the Broadmoor Boulevard exit, Raymond said.
Cisneros and his passenger, Juan Carlos Villa, 33, bailed out of the car and took off running, Raymond said.
Officers surrounded the area and a Pasco police dog unit that was called out to track the men found them in some bushes, he said.
Cisneros told police he did not know the car was stolen and that some unknown person gave them the car, court documents said. He said he was told to drive and Villa said he was told to get into the passenger seat.
The owner of the car said he did not know the suspects and never gave them permission to take his car. He said he had the only keys, documents said.
Cisneros was found in possession of a Honda key and the key started the car, documents said.
Cisneros and Villa made preliminary appearances Friday in Franklin County Superior Court, where Judge Robert Swisher found cause to hold them for up to 72 hours.
Cisneros is being held on investigation of vehicle theft and attempting to elude police. His bail is set at $15,000.
Defense attorney Matt Rutt was appointed to represent him.
Villa, who had bail set at $5,000, is being held on investigation of second-degree rendering criminal assistance, possessing a stolen vehicle and criminal trespassing.
Shelley Ajax was appointed to represent him.
Prosecutors have until Tuesday to charge or release both men. If charged, their next court hearing is Jan. 17.
2 Park Middle students hit by car, slightly injured
Two Park Middle School students were hit by a car Friday morning while crossing the street on their way to school, police said.
The students, age 12 and 14, did not suffer any serious injuries, Kennewick police Sgt. Ken Lattin told the Herald.
The boys were on their way to school early and were two-thirds the way across 10th Avenue when Marcos Maura-Bergues, 35, of Kennewick, hit them while they were in the crosswalk, Lattin said.
There was no adult crossing guard on duty yet, but the yellow school zone lights were flashing, he said.
The lights activate at 7:05 a.m., and the accident happened about 7:10 a.m.
Police were called about 10 minutes later after the students and the driver walked into the school and told the principal what happened, Lattin said.
Maura-Bergues failed to clear the frost off his windshield and apparently couldn't see clearly as he drove, Lattin said.
He was cited for second-degree negligent driving. He was driving a 2000 Dodge Intrepid.
The students were treated by Kennewick Fire Department paramedics for minor bumps and bruises and released to their parents.
Kennewick man sought after alleged threats
A 27-year-old Kennewick man is being sought by Benton County sheriff's deputies after threatening his former girlfriend's new boyfriend and running over him with a van.
Benton County sheriff's deputies were called Wednesday night to a home at 5905 S. Havana St., after the victim's girlfriend reported he had been run over, said Deputy Joe Lusignan.
When deputies arrived, Brandon Joseph Honeycutt, 27, was found face down on the driveway. He was suffering from potential internal and head injuries and was taken to Kennewick General Hospital for treatment, Lusignan said.
Deputies learned the incident happened after an argument between two couples. The suspect, who was in a mini-van, allegedly grabbed Honeycutt's arm and dragged him for about 50 feet before letting him go, Lusignan said.
When Honeycutt was let go, he was then reportedly run over by the Plymouth Voyager, he said.
Deputies have not been able to find the suspect, but have forward their report to prosecutors to review for possible charges of first-degree assault and felony harassment to kill, Lusignan said.
The suspect is not being named because he has not been arrested or charged.
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