‘Incredibly dangerous’ man sentenced to 34 years for assaulting Pasco officers

A 38-year-old man was sentenced to more than three decades in prison for pointing a gun at two Pasco police officers on Road 68 in 2020.

Santiago Ayala-Pineda had hidden himself under a pile of items in the back of a silver SUV on July 30, 2020 when he aimed a handgun in the face of then Officer Andy Corral. A baby was in a car seat next to where Ayala-Pineda was hidden.

Corral responded by firing a single shot at the wanted man, hitting him in the chest.

Corral still wonders what would have happened if Ayala-Pineda had pulled the trigger. His voice broke during a Thursday sentencing hearing as he talked about the lingering questions.

“I’m haunted by the persistent question of why he chose not to fire, and the realization of how close I came to losing my life,” Corral said, pausing twice to get the words out.

Corral was joined by dozens of Pasco police officers in the Franklin County courtroom. Several of Ayala-Pineda’s family members silently watched as well.

Ayala-Pineda’s sentence followed a seven-day trial in early September. A jury took a little more than a day to find him guilty of first- and second-degree assault, possession of fentanyl with intent to deliver, illegally possessing a gun and reckless endangerment

He was also convicted for using a gun in the two assaults and the drug charge, which added 11 years to his sentence. In total, he faced between 31 and 37 years in prison.

Prosecutor Shawn Sant asked for the maximum possible sentence for Ayala-Pineda, who he said showed he was willing to shoot the two officers.

Sant said that Ayala-Pineda could have stored the gun anywere before surrendering to police, but still pointed it at the officers.

Corral and Sgt. Scott Warren asked for a longer sentence for the man, saying that there were crimes Ayala-Pineda committed that were going unpunished.

“Mr. Ayala-Pineda created an incredibly dangerous situation, which placed multiple people in danger who were inside the car, including an infant, as well as myself, Andrew Corral and other law enforcement,” Warren said in a written statement that was read by his attorney Alan Harvey. “The incident had a profound impact and effect on me.”

Pasco police Chief Ken Roske also asked for the highest penalty for Ayala-Pineda, saying that he demands the most out of his officers who put themselves in harms way.

“Now, I’m only asking that the courts do the same when it comes to sentencing,” he said.

Judge Norma Rodriguez said she didn’t believe she had the authority to add time to the sentencing range.

A sobering experience

While prosecutors called Ayala-Pineda a felon with a history of violence, his defense attorney Katherine Bohnet said he only had a single assault conviction in his past.

She asked for a 31-year sentence, noting that previous offers from the prosecutors had terms as low as 10 years.

“I don’t think that Mr. Ayala-Pineda should be punished for choosing to exercise his right to take the case to trial,” she said.

In her conversations with Ayala-Pineda, he told her that the experience had been “very sobering.”

“He also recognizes the fact that he could have died,” Bohnet said. “When we talked about this sentencing hearing, he kind of opened up, and said, ‘You know, yes this is a long time that I’m looking at, but life is a blessing. I’m happy to be able to talk to my family.’”

Ayala-Pineda said he was grateful that he would be able to spend time with his family, and promised that he would use the services available in prison to be better.

Disturbing case

Rodriguez said it was a long, disturbing trial, and that she couldn’t imagine being on the scene.

“What those officers experienced, I’m sure was quite frightening,” she said. “Just watching it on video was really disturbing, and I’m sure for you as well.”

She said it was important for Ayala-Pineda to listen to what the victims said, so he could understand the harm he caused. He would now have to decide whether he wanted to live a better life.

“You made a lot of stupid moves and mistakes, and basically, it almost cost you your life,” she said.

Rodriguez settled on a sentence in the middle of the range.

Road 68 confrontation

Warren and Corral were members of Pasco’s Street Crimes Unit and were helping a U.S. Marshal’s Task Force track Ayala-Pineda, who was wanted in connection with shooting a 38-year-old man in Benton County.

Those charges in Benton County were dismissed in 2023 while he was waiting to go to trial in Franklin County.

Police had been tracking the location of his cellphone, which showed up in a silver SUV.

Corral saw the SUV on Road 68, turning onto the eastbound highway on-ramp, and signaled for it to stop.

Investigators believe Ayala-Pineda took this opportunity to get into the floor between the front and back seats. He started piling stuff on top of himself in an attempt to hide.

Corral, Warren and two other Street Crimes Unit detectives approached the car to talk to the woman driving and the man inside the vehicle.

The dark-tinted windows only allowed detectives to see the infant in the backseat, court documents said. But the tracking on Ayala-Pineda’s phone showed him inside.

The detectives returned and surrounded the SUV. This time, Warren spotted shoes on the backseat floorboard. Warren and Corral opened the rear, passenger door and immediately identified Ayala-Pineda, lying face down away from them, court documents said. His head was 6 inches away from the infant child.

Detectives gave “clear, repeated, loud commands” for Ayala-Pineda to follow, court documents said.

At the time, Corral told other officers that he spotted something. Then Ayala-Pineda began to turn, and a laser moved across Corral’s face. Warren spotted the gun and yelled.

Corral fired once, hitting Ayala-Pineda in the stomach, court documents said.

After being shot, Ayala-Pineda followed commands. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Police found a silver revolver with five bullets on Ayala-Pineda’s chest. When the detective held the grip, a red laser lit up, court documents said.

Police also found more than 150 fentanyl pills and methamphetamine in Ayala-Pineda’s clothing. They also discovered $350 in cash and a list of names and phone numbers, court documents said.

Following Thursday’s sentencing, Sant also issued his decision on whether the officers violated the law when Ayala-Pineda was shot. He said Corral and Warren acted the way any officer would in that situation.