Prosecutor asks for 65-year jail sentence for ‘distinctive crimes’ in taking pictures that injured Wash. officer

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By Garrett Cabeza
The Spokesman-Evaluate, Spokane, Wash.

SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane County Deputy Prosecutor Preston McCollam helped 23-year-old Ray Wynecoop along with his neck tie earlier than asking a choose Friday to condemn him to 65 years in jail for a sequence of drive-by shootings that wounded a Spokane police officer.

Wynecoop and his alleged co-conspirator Isaac Ott, 23, had been mentioned to be “mendacity in wait” to focus on police in an try to realize avenue credit score for his or her gangs, based on court paperwork.

Court information say the childhood pals and members of various gangs focused two northeast Spokane properties in drive-by shootings June 26, 2022. Police responded to the shootings and had been then focused, paperwork say.

“It is a gratuitous act of gang violence,” McCollam mentioned.

With Wynecoop driving a 2014 Chrysler 300, the pair pursued Spokane police Officer Michele Kernkamp’s patrol automobile north on Perry Avenue , approaching Empire Avenue.

Seven pictures had been fired as Officer Kris Honaker’s patrol automobile handed via the intersection of Empire Avenue and Perry Avenue, based on paperwork. Honaker was shot within the leg, and a bullet grazed his scalp within the drive-by.

Honaker, wearing his Spokane police uniform, and Kernkamp sat behind different officers and Spokane County Sheriff’s Workplace deputies who supported them Friday in court.

McCollam performed an 85-second clip of Ott filming Wynecoop moments earlier than taking pictures at police.

Wynecoop, carrying a Kansas Metropolis Chiefs hat and no shirt, may be seen within the video holding a gun in his lap and driving. He can then be heard saying, “Watch this, watch this.”

Kernkamp’s police cruiser enters the video, and Wynecoop drives behind it attempting to catch as much as Kernkamp.

The shortened video ends with the sound of gunshots.

Wynecoop, carrying a black costume shirt and the tie McCollam helped him fasten previous to Friday’s court proceedings, stood and addressed the court.

He denied ready for officers to reach and mentioned he was “closely medicated” on the time of the shootings.

Wynecoop apologized and mentioned he’s remorseful, calling it the largest mistake of his life.

“It was simply one thing that spiraled uncontrolled,” he mentioned.

Katharine Allison, Spokane County public defender, additionally disagreed with the extent of planning McCollam indicated the shooters made. She mentioned the shootings occurred in a few 10-minute time-frame.

“Numerous this was spur-of-the-moment decision-making,” she mentioned.

Wynecoop pleaded responsible in October to 13 expenses, together with 10 associated to the shootings. The ten expenses had been conspiracy to commit homicide within the first diploma, 5 counts of first-degree assault, two counts of drive-by taking pictures, try to elude police and first-degree malicious mischief.

The opposite three expenses had been try to elude police and two counts of hit-and-run with accidents for an unrelated incident in December 2021 .

Wynecoop was additionally indicted in federal court on expenses of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Ott is scheduled for trial April 22.

McCollam requested Spokane County Superior Court Decide Tony Hazel to impose a 783-month sentence, or 65 1/4 years. He referred to as it an “exceptionally lengthy sentence,” however mentioned that these “are distinctive crimes.”

The sentence would come with 34 1/4 years for conspiracy to commit homicide, which is the excessive finish of the usual sentencing vary for that cost, and one other 30 years in firearm enhancements, that are tacked onto every of the conspiracy and assault expenses. The try to elude carries a one-year sentencing enhancement.

McCollam mentioned the court should impose the enhancements consecutively. He requested that the remainder of the sentence for the opposite expenses run concurrently.

Wynecoop has served time in jail earlier than. He was sentenced in 2019 to a few years in jail for housebreaking expenses.

He was below Division of Corrections supervision for these expenses and launch situations for the December 2021 incident on the time of the shootings, McCollam mentioned.

Whereas in jail, Wynecoop instructed somebody over the telephone: “If you may get me out, I can do it once more,” based on paperwork. In telephone conversations, he’s heard laughing in his description of the taking pictures and describes himself as a “legend.”

He additionally seems to magnify the taking pictures, telling one individual throughout a jailhouse name that he “tried to shoot it out with each cop.” On one other jail name, he instructed somebody that he emptied “100 rounds.”

Allison mentioned Wynecoop was closely below the affect on the time of the taking pictures and was popping out of a daze through the telephone calls.

McCollam mentioned Honaker and Kernkamp shall be affected by the taking pictures for the remainder of their lives.

“This sort of motion takes an excessive psychological toll on our legislation enforcement,” he mentioned.

Allison mentioned Wynecoop’s youth contributed to the crimes and really useful a 21-year jail sentence that features one five-year firearm enhancement and the one-year enhancement for the try to elude cost.

The sentence would equate to 46 years if all of the enhancements are stacked.

McCollam mentioned Wynecoop’s conduct, together with a “deeply entrenched gang life-style,” led him thus far, not youthfulness as Allison indicated.

Wynecoop was 22 on the time of the crimes.

She mentioned Wynecoop’s crimes had been additionally indicative of impetuousness, peer affect and drug use.

He grew up in poverty and his father was killed when Wynecoop was very younger, Allison mentioned. That publicity to violence impacts an adolescent’s mind and may result in the dangerous behaviors wherein Wynecoop engaged.

As individuals grow old, they don’t interact in dangerous, violent acts as usually, she mentioned.

Allison mentioned Wynecoop is a unique individual than the one who dedicated the crimes and made the jail telephone calls. He made horrible choices, however “there’s a good coronary heart below there,” she mentioned.

Hazel selected to not sentence Wynecoop Friday, saying he wished to rigorously think about the ruling and that he acquired some court filings pretty late. He requested Allison to offer extra info concerning rehabilitation for him to think about earlier than Wynecoop’s new sentencing date, which is subsequent Friday.

“That is clearly a really vital resolution,” Hazel mentioned.

(c)2024 The Spokesman-Evaluate (Spokane, Wash.)
Go to The Spokesman-Evaluate (Spokane, Wash.) at www.spokesman.com
Distributed by Tribune Content material Company, LLC.

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