Pasco man with history of confronting police may have shot officer with stolen gun
A 37-year-old man facing attempted murder charges for shooting a Pasco officer has a history of confrontations with police.
David Ramos Galvez of Pasco remains in the hospital after being shot by Benton County Deputy Kenton Childers at the end of a chase through Pasco on March 24.
His condition has not been released, but officers have said he is in custody.
The Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office charged Galvez on Monday with two counts of attempted first-degree murder along with attempting to elude police.
New details
The court documents provide new details about the string of crimes that started shortly after 5:45 a.m. when an officer was called to the Circle K convenience store, 3109 W. Court St.
Callers were reporting that a white BMW was being driven recklessly.
When Pasco Officer Phil Hanks arrived, he stopped in front of the car to block it from leaving the parking lot.
As Hanks approached the car, Galvez allegedly fired through a closed driver’s side door, hitting the officer in the arm. Hanks dropped to the ground and backed away to safety behind his car. He then called for help, according to court documents.
Officers from across the Tri-Cities flooded into Pasco and began looking for Galvez. Shortly after, a Franklin County sergeant spotted him driving on Riverview Drive, and with the help of another deputy tried to stop Galvez.
He allegedly refused to stop, and led the deputies on a five-minute chase reaching speeds of 70 mph, according to court documents.
As they headed north on Road 64, Childers and another Benton County deputy prepared to deploy a spike strip, according to police reports and court documents.
Childers was in his car as Galvez drove into the intersection and aimed his car directly at the patrol vehicle. Galvez then stopped and allegedly pointed a gun a Childers.
The deputy responded by firing at Galvez. Police then pulled him out of the car and provided aid for apparent gunshot wounds.
Officers said he had a pistol on his lap and a rifle propped up on the dash and his hand on the rifle grip.
The pistol had been stolen from Kennewick in 2022.
This is first time Childers has been identified as the deputy who shot Galvez. The deputy has worked for the sheriff’s office since 2019. He was recognized in 2021 for helping to rescue a woman and her baby from a house fire in Finley.
Problems with police
Galvez has a lengthy criminal history, with multiple charges for assaulting or obstructing law enforcement officers in Franklin County.
He started getting into trouble when he was 14 with convictions for burglary, theft and malicious mischief, according to court documents.
His first adult charge came in 2007 when he kicked a Pasco police officer when he was being arrested for forcing his way into an apartment.
Police were initially called to the apartments after a man reported seeing a delivery driver patting down his pockets as if he was showing that he didn’t have any money left.
Galvez then approached the witness. That man suspected he was going to be robbed and tried to go into his home and lock the door, but Galvez followed and kicked the door open.
He stood in the doorway and yelled obscenities before leaving. When officers arrived Galvez was at first cooperative, but then they said his mother tried to interfere and he became combative.
He was forced into the police car and attacked another officer once at the jail.
He pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and was sentenced to a year in prison.
In 2011, he got into trouble again. This time he was caught inside a vacant house marked with graffiti. He pleaded guilty to second-degree malicious mischief.
The same year, he pleaded guilty to having stolen property in Benton County. He was sentenced to four months in jail.
The next time he pleaded guilty to assaulting and threatening to kill police officers in 2013. In that case he was involved in a fight with three men behind a Pasco restaurant when an off duty officer working as security guard broke up the fight with pepper spray.
When Pasco police arrived Galvez attempted to leave, and was told not to. Officers said he then reached to the small of his back as if for a weapon and threatened to kill them. He was pepper sprayed again and was kicking officers as they tried to get him into a patrol vehicle.
He participated in a drug treatment program and spent time in prison.
In 2018 he was arrested for threatening to shoot a group of juveniles. Officers believed he was on drugs at the time. That charge was dismissed after he completed mental health pretrial diversion.
Most recently, he had a DUI and subsequent driving without a license and an ignition interlock in Franklin County in April 2022.
In Oregon he appears to have cases pending on a variety of weapons charges.
