Prosecutor Says Two Men Sentenced for Shooting at Trooper

Two men were sentenced to long prison terms Tuesday after authorities say they shot at a Washington State Patrol trooper during a traffic stop in 2017. Yakima County Prosecutor Joseph Brusic says it happened in October of 2017 when trooper Nathaniel Dawson attempted to stop a vehicle on State Route 241 for speeding. The driver didn't stop and a high speed chase started until the driver pulled into a driveway. That's when the two suspects, the driver and a passenger fired rifles at the trooper who was able to return fire. Brusic says 33 shots were fired at the trooper but he was not injured. Both men fled the scene and were arrested days later in Royal City. A search of the car found weapons and 20 pounds of marijuana in the trunk.

The two suspects, Manuel Aviles and Felipe Cortez-Barajas both plead guilty to attempted second degree murder, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, possession of a stolen firearm and eluding. Both men were sentenced in Yakima County Superior Court on Tuesday to 240 months in prison.