A Richland man stole a friend’s car at gunpoint for a drug run, say police
A 33-year-old man allegedly forced a friend at gunpoint to hand over her car keys so he could make a drug run in Pasco.
Trevor A. Molyneaux was in the backseat of the victim’s Mercury Grand Marquis before the carjacking, according to police and prosecutors.
He threatened her with a small, black handgun by hitting the car’s ceiling with it and saying, “Rounds are going to go off tonight,” court documents show.
It was only later, after Pasco officers arrested Molyneaux and searched the Mercury, that they discovered it was a BB gun made to look like a Sig Sauer P365, documents said.
Molyneaux of Richland now is charged in Franklin County Superior Court with first-degree robbery.
Molyneaux made a brief appearance Thursday in court and remains jailed on $10,000 bail.
Court documents show that Officer Tony Grosz was called about 12:40 a.m. Thursday about someone with a gun taking a woman’s car.
Rachelle A. Manson said her Mercury was on the 1900 block of West Jay Street, but it was gone before the officer arrived. About the same time, Officer Adrian Alaniz stopped the car at 22nd Avenue and Court Street.
The driver did not have a license with him but he was later identified as Molyneaux, documents said.
The Manson told police that Molyneaux had been riding in the backseat when he said he needed to use her car. She told him, “No,” but then Molyneaux started hitting the roof of her car with a gun, document said.
She told police she was in fear and felt threatened and so she got out of the car and told Molyneaux to “just take it and be back in 30 minutes,” court documents said.
Before the officers searched the car, police dog Jucon alerted them to the odor of illegal drugs.
Police found the BB gun under the driver’s seat and two backpacks in the backseat, according to court documents. Manson said the backpacks were not there before her car was taken.
Drugs inside the packs tested positive for heroin and methamphetamine, documents said.
Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to call non-emergency dispatch at 509-628-0333.