Driver said he was investigating a murder then threatened to kill Benton Co. deputies

A Kennewick man man told police he was investigating a murder and threatened to kill sheriff’s deputies if they tried to stop him early Tuesday.

The 49-year-old man was refused to surrender to sheriff’s deputies during a several hour standoff in his car in south Kennewick.

A Benton County deputy was heading to a call in Finley just after midnight when he spotted a speeding driver and tried to pull him over, according to a sheriff’s office Facebook post. After a short chase, officers used a loudspeaker to order the driver to stop.

He ended up at the intersection of 27th Avenue and Oak Street just before 12:30 a.m. and refused to get out of his vehicle.

The driver was yelling, swearing and ordering deputies to let him leave.

“The male driver continued to tell deputies he was investigating a murder, that we were hindering this investigation and would kill the deputy and anyone who attempted to stop him,” the sheriff’s office said.

The car was blocked in and the Tri-City Regional SWAT team was called to help.

Eventually, the man was arrested and taken into custody on suspicion of obstruction, resisting arrest, failing to yield to emergency vehicles and felony threats.