Garfield man arrested for driving stolen vehicle

Whitman County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested a Garfield man who has been accused of trespassing and driving a stolen vehicle.

Nicholas Bunch, 40, was apprehended in Colfax on Friday, after he was allegedly seen loading items into a homeowner’s vehicle, according to a media release. Bunch was charged with burglary, two counts of taking a motor vehicle without permission, harassment, second-degree driving with a suspended license, an ignition interlock requirement violation and driving under the influence.

Sheriff Brett Myers said the case began when a homeowner went outside and saw a man in her driveway whom she did not recognize. She turned to go back inside and the man began to walk toward her.

The homeowner called a relative and asked the person to come to the residence. Upon arriving, the relative saw Bunch was allegedly loading items from a blue Volkswagen Jetta into a vehicle that belonged to the resident, according to the release.

The relative approached Bunch and told him the police had been called. He allegedly began to move the items back into the Jetta, according to the release. Bunch was apparently seen getting back into the Jetta before driving eastbound on Dry Creek Road.

Myers said deputies stopped the Jetta on Dry Creek Road near milepost 9. They arrested Bunch and took him to the Whitman County Jail.

While investigating the incident, Myers said deputies found Bunch had reportedly entered a storage barn at the residence and moved the homeowner’s vehicle. They also determined the Jetta had been stolen from a business in Garfield, whose registered owner had not realized it had been stolen, according to the release.

Deputies had been notified beforehand that someone driving a blue Jetta had been driving recklessly and passing several cars on Washington State Route 195. Bunch was allegedly driving northbound and turned the vehicle around, driving southbound before stopping the car on the highway, according to the release.

A driver pulled off the highway and attempted to contact Bunch to see what was going on, and Bunch allegedly made a death threat to the other driver, according to the release.

Additional charges were added, including burglary, two counts of taking a motor vehicle without permission, harassment and threats to kill and driving while under the influence.

Myers noted Bunch was arrested in January for stealing a different vehicle from the same residence on Dry Creek Road.

The incident is still under investigation, and Myers said deputies have not determined Bunch’s intent. He added since Bunch had previously allegedly driven a stolen vehicle, deputies inferred he may have been planning on stealing the homeowner’s vehicle.

Bunch was released from the Whitman County Jail on Monday, according to the Whitman County Superior Court clerk.

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com