Stolen guns behind Silver Creek dispute, gun shots

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Sunday’s incident in which shots were fired near a gas station in Silver Creek and one man was arrested led to the recovery of five firearms stolen in a recent Lewis County burglary.

Roberto L. Mendez, 32, of Mossyrock, reportedly told deputies he fired his handgun into the air as he and a 39-year-old Winlock man drove away in separate vehicles following an argument.

Mendez said the dispute was because he had not sold some guns the man provided him the week prior, because he believed they were “hot”, according to charging documents.

Mendez was charged yesterday in Lewis County Superior Court with one count of drive-by shooting, five counts of possessing a stolen firearm and possession of methamphetamine. He remains held in the Lewis County Jail with bail set at $100,000.

Charging documents in his case state that deputies dispatched about 11:30 a.m. on Sunday to the 2900 block of U.S. Highway 12 spoke to a clerk at the gas station who said there had been two males parked who appeared to be in an argument but they left. She heard what she thought was two gun shots, but didn’t know who fired a gun or where the shots came from, Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead wrote.

The 39-year-old man was contacted at his home and didn’t want to cooperate but an acquaintance who had been with him said as they each drove away, Mendez stuck his hand out of his driver’s side window and fired a handgun into the air two times, according to Halstead.

Deputies located Mendez through a traffic stop and he allegedly admitted to firing the gun.

When they searched his vehicle, they found the handgun and five other guns. On Tuesday, a detective showed the victim of a recent burglary pictures of the five guns and he identified them as his which had been taken from his home, according to Halstead.

Mendez’s arraignment is scheduled for next Thursday.