Kennewick police detective arrested and jailed for domestic violence assault

A Kennewick police detective was arrested and jailed this weekend after allegedly pointing a gun at his wife and teen son late Saturday.

Joshua Riley, 42, appeared briefly Monday by video link from the Franklin County jail.

He is being held without bail on suspicion of two counts of second-degree domestic violence assault. The crime is a felony but he is not yet charged.

Since an attorney wasn’t able to meet with him before the Benton County Superior Court hearing, he was rescheduled for Tuesday.

The incident happened at his home in Kennewick in Benton County, but because he is a law enforcement officer he is being held in the Franklin County facility in Pasco.

Court Commissioner Megan Whitmire ordered Riley to have no contact with his wife, a 15-year-old son and other children in the home. No one was injured in the incident.

Benton County Prosecutor Eric Eisinger said he’s seeking to appoint a special prosecutor from another county to handle the case to avoid any potential conflicts of interest since his office handles cases Riley investigates.

Kennewick Police Chief Chris Guerrero issued a news release about Riley’s arrest, saying the investigation is being handled by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, also to avoid any conflicts.

Riley, an Air Force veteran who served three tours in Iraq, joined the Kennewick police department in 2012. Riley’s wife is a Kennewick native who wanted to return to the Tri-Cities, the city posted in the past.

Riley spent several years working as a patrol officer before he was selected to serve as a detective with the Criminal Apprehension Team and then with the Property Crimes division, according to the department.

He was named Detective of the Year in 2020 and was one of the lead instructors in the Kennewick department on the use of force by officers during arrests, the agency said at the time.

This story was originally published September 25, 2023 at 2:49 PM.