A drug-fueled string of Tri-Cities crimes send a father to prison — without a goodbye hug

Over a two-week period last year, a 29-year-old man Tri-Cities man shot at a fleeing driver at a Richland gas station, attacked a man with a machete and was caught with illegally having a gun.

Darren Quintas will serve just over eight years in prison for what attorneys called a drug-fueled string of crimes.

He pleaded guilty to six crimes across four cases on the first day of his June trial for the most serious of the charges. All but one happened between May 28 and July 14, 2021, according to court records.

Charges include a drive-by shooting, two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of illegal gun possession and a second-degree theft.

He faced a sentencing range of seven years and three months to nine years and eight months.

The deputy prosecutor and defense attorney asked for an eight-year, four-month sentence. They also wanted Quintas to get substance abuse treatment.

Deputy Prosecutor Kristin McRoberts said someone would have to be under the influence to commit the crimes Quintas did, noting he opened fire on a stranger at a gas station.

Defense Attorney Nicholas Blount agreed that Quintas has problems with controlled substances, but he also has a lot to live for including a daughter. Blount believed the sentence would do him good.

Quintas said nothing at the sentencing, but asked to hug his family members before being taken away.

Judge Jacqueline Stam said he wasn’t allowed to do that, though she agreed with the sentencing recommendation.

Four cases

When Quintas committed the crimes last year, he already was facing a second-degree theft charge after he went into an office at the Zintel Creek Golf Course and stole about $800 in tips from seven co-workers.

Then May 28, he was spotted in a Nissan Altima just before midnight by two men who stopped at the Rocket Mart on Van Giesen Street in Richland to buy some cigarettes.

Quintas got out of the Altima and walked up to the open passenger’s side window. He shoved a gun into the face of the passenger, and said, “What the f--k are you looking at?” according to court records.

The driver tried to drive away as he could and Quintas fired a shot at the fleeing car.

A couple weeks later on June 17, Quintas was in a car outside of a Gum Street house with his girlfriend when a man showed up to pick up his daughter at 10:30 a.m. from Quintas’ girlfriend.

The man told police it looked like they were both high on drugs when they started yelling at him.

Quintas pulled out what turned out to be a pellet gun and threatened the man, according to court records. When the man dismissed the threat, Quintas went back to the car and pulled out a machete.

While the man was able to dodge Quintas’ first swing, the second one caught his arm and cut him, according to court records. Quintas also grabbed the man’s phone and threw it into the road.

After that Quintas drove away. The father was treated at a local hospital.

Police tracked Quintas to a Richland house, but he was able to escape.

He was finally caught on July 14 after police started watching a Gum Street home, and then followed a car to a Willamette Avenue address. He went into a motorhome and police surrounded the vehicle.

As an unrelated man came out the front door, Quintas ran into the backyard. Officers caught him and while he was on the ground, they spotted a .22 caliber revolver in his front pocket.

Quintas has previous convictions that prevent him from legally having a gun.

This story was originally published July 20, 2022 at 5:00 AM.