Police say 18-year-old Hanford grad was caught in the middle of deadly confrontation
A recent Hanford grad was killed when a 19-year-old man allegedly ambushed a Jeep full of women who were supposed to be following him to a party.
The hail of gunfire from Isaiah Combs, and possibly others, stretched about a mile down Chemical Drive in East Kennewick, and riddled the Jeep with bullet holes.
Two of the shots punched through the windshield, and a bullet hit Jatzivy Sarabia, an 18-year-old Hanford High graduate, riding in the middle of the backseat.
The jeep’s driver, one of Sarabia’s friends, fled to her father’s house on Benton Street where police were called.
By the time they arrived, it was already too late for Sarabia, who had been hit once in the neck.
U.S. Marshals and Richland Police arrested Isaiah Combs when he parked outside of a Jadwin Avenue Apartment Complex about 4:15 p.m Thursday, Benton County Sheriff Tom Croskrey said in a press conference.
He has been charged with aggravated first-degree murder in Benton County Superior Court. The charges also include an enhancement because a firearm was used.
Deputies are continuing to investigate the shooting, Croskrey said.
The news comes as dozens of people mourn for the girl who planned to go to Columbia Basin College in January and pursue a career as a radiology technician.
More than 100 of her friends and family came to Howard Amon Park earlier this week to remember the woman who was said to always bring a positive attitude to any situation.
“She was an amazing young woman that was just on the brink of great things,” her mother, Kimberly Sarabia said. “This was her year to become an adult. She was so excited to start school in January.”
A Trip to Spokane
Problems appear to have started on a trip to Spokane on Oct. 14, according to court documents. A total of five people were on the trip including Combs, Sarabia, Aubreyanna Asselin, and two other young women.
Combs and Asselin have been friends for several years, but an argument started between the two during the trip that ended with Combs pulling out a gun and pointing it at Asselin’s head.
The four women left Combs behind in Spokane when they returned to the Tri-Cities on Saturday, Oct. 15.
They met up with Combs again at a Columbia Drive business, when he promised to lead them to a party on the 5800 block of South Yew Street.
Video surveillance from the area shows Combs get into a Honda with four other people at 10:53 p.m. The four women leave about six minutes later in the tan Jeep with Asselin behind the wheel.
The women stopped at a home on Benton Street before heading to the party. They were on their way to the party when they saw a dark Honda and a light-colored vehicle in front of him.
Investigators said the shooting started near the intersection of Yew Street and Chemical Drive.
Combs allegedly leaned out of the rear driver’s side window and opened fire, according to witnesses.
Witnesses did not say how many rounds were fired, but they found shell casings from four different firearms. It’s unclear whether any of the other people in the car were involved in the shooting.
This story was originally published October 21, 2022 at 12:48 PM.