Woman found not guilty on insanity plea

A woman who was arrested last year by the Whitman County SWAT team for allegedly firing shots at several people was found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Jamie Carosino, 30, was found criminally insane by Whitman County Superior Court after undergoing several mental health evaluations. Superior Court Judge Gary Libey ruled to drop several felony assault counts against Carosino, and ordered she be committed to the Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake, Wash., for treatment.

Whitman County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a residence in Farmington in June 2022, following up on a report of a woman firing shots at a man. The man told dispatchers his girlfriend was shooting at him with his pistol after he had asked her to leave his home, according to court records.

The man forcefully took his 9mm handgun away from the woman, according to records. He called his parents who later met him at a separate location that evening, but the woman reportedly stayed at his house.

The man and his parents drove back to his residence to find the woman on his front porch with his AR-15. The man exited the vehicle to try and talk to the woman, and she allegedly pointed the weapon at his parent’s vehicle and fired one round, according to records. The man told deputies that he ran away from his residence on foot, and his parents drove away in their vehicle.

The man and his parents called the police, and the Whitman County SWAT team was dispatched to the scene. They attempted to contact the woman who was inside the house with more weapons. SWAT team members negotiated with the woman for several hours, but she would not exit the home as requested, according to records. When the woman finally exited, she was arrested by SWAT team members.

Deputies were granted a warrant to search the residence and the woman’s vehicle parked on the property. According to records, deputies found several firearms, ammo, drugs and drug paraphernalia found throughout the house. They also found a pair of brass knuckles inside the woman’s purse, which was included in the search warrant amendment, according to records.

Libey said in court he was told the victims supported the insanity plea, and wanted Carosino to undergo mental health treatment. Carosino has remained in the Whitman County Jail since being arrested.

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com