Three Accused of Concealing Suspect in Benton County Officer-Involved Shooting in Centralia Residence

The Lewis County Regional SWAT team responded to a house on Cooks Hill Road Monday evening, after a suspect linked to a Benton County officer-involved shooting was traced to the location.

The suspect, 19-year-old Isaiah Colley, was arrested and three other people were also taken into custody on accusations that they helped conceal him and provide him with an alibi.

According to the Prosser Police Department in Benton County, officers responded to an apartment complex in Prosser early Monday morning on reports that two suspects were trying to break into apartments.

At the scene, an officer gave chase to one of the suspects, who started firing on the officer, shooting him in the leg. Additionally, an individual at the apartment complex was found with multiple gunshot wounds upon officers’ arrival. None of the injuries were considered life threatening.

Prosser police say that one of the suspects was arrested Monday afternoon in Kennewick on a warrant for first-degree assault.

The other suspect — Isaiah Colley — was tracked to Lewis County, where he has family ties, according to court documents. Information provided by Prosser police and court documents aren’t clear about whether Isaiah Colley is believed to be the suspect who shot the officer.

Police went to an address on Cooks Hill Road Monday night where they believed Isaiah Colley was hiding out. They pulled over a vehicle leaving the house and spoke with its driver, Dion A. Galvan, 24, of Centralia. When asked who was in the house, Galvan allegedly failed to mention Isaiah Colley was inside. When asked specifically about the suspect, Galvan reportedly looked down and asked if he was going to be detained. He would later say he didn’t realize Isaiah Colley — identified in court documents as Galvan’s brother ­— was at the residence.

According to a Centralia Police Department press release, Isaiah Colley didn’t agree to leave the house, prompting the SWAT team to descend on the area.

Area residents and businesses reported streets were closed in the area Monday evening.

During the response, a number of rumors were circulated on social media, including that there was a shooting at Providence Centralia Hospital. No such incident took place, according to the Centralia Police Department. 

Isaiah Colley surrendered when SWAT arrived.

According to court documents, his mother Bernice T. Colley, 39, of Centralia and girlfriend, Dakota L. Street, 19, of Mabton were inside the residence. Both said they spent all day Sunday and Monday with Isaiah Colley.

“According to both Street and Bernice Colley, all slept in the living room and both (woke) up frequently throughout the night Sunday observing Suspect Colley still at the residence. Again, contradicting what was known by Benton County Law enforcement,” read court documents.

“It is believed the defendants harbored/concealed Colley and, through deception, hindered and continued to hinder law enforcement investigation into this matter,” documents go on to say.

Isaiah Colley was arrested on a warrant for first-degree assault and transported to Benton County. Bernice Colley, Street and Galvan were arrested and each charged with first-degree rendering criminal assistance.

During preliminary hearings in Lewis County Superior Court Tuesday afternoon, Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer requested each be held on $250,000 bail — saying the allegations against them represented a chance they might continue to interfere with the administration of justice if they were released.

Judge James Lawler imposed $50,000 bail for Bernice Colley and Galvan and $25,000 for Street, after hearing arguments from public defense counsel saying they each have either very minimal or no criminal history.

All three have arraignment hearings set for Thursday.