Crime

Police still hunting for Kennewick sex offender after chase and crash

Jose Franscisco Monzon wrecked his car during a brief chase with Benton County deputies earlier this month. Police have been looking for him since then.
Jose Franscisco Monzon wrecked his car during a brief chase with Benton County deputies earlier this month. Police have been looking for him since then. Benton County Sheriff's Office

A Kennewick sex offender continues to elude police even after wrecking his car during a short chase earlier this month.

Police have been looking for Jose Franscisco Monzon, 20, since late March after he didn’t register as a sex offender. Monzon has been required to register since 2015 after a conviction for indecent liberties with forcible compulsion

About a week after he failed to register, Judge Joe Burrowes signed a $20,000 arrest warrant on new charges of escaping from his community custody. Monzon was on probation after a 2018 conviction for second-degree robbery.

A Benton County deputy spotted Monzon driving near Columbia Drive and Washington Street the night after the warrant was issued. When the deputy signaled for the car to stop, the driver took off, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post.

After a short pursuit, he crashed and fled on foot.

Anyone with information about where Monzon is can call police at 509-628-0333, or call Tri-Cities Crime Stoppers at 509-586-8477 or 800-222-8477. Crime Stoppers offers up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to a felony arrest.

This story was originally published April 17, 2019 at 12:20 PM.

CP
Cameron Probert
Tri-City Herald
Cameron Probert covers breaking news for the Tri-City Herald, where he tries to answer reader questions about why police officers and firefighters are in your neighborhood. He studied communications at Washington State University.https://mycheckout.tri-cityherald.com/subscribe?ofrgp_id=394&g2i_or_o=Event&g2i_or_p=Reporter&cid=news_cta_0.99-1mo-15.99-on-article_202404
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