Crime

Prosser man didn’t want to pay for yard work, so he started shooting, police say

The Benton County Kennewick Campus includes the Benton County Justice Center, Jail and administrative offices in Kennewick.
The Benton County Kennewick Campus includes the Benton County Justice Center, Jail and administrative offices in Kennewick. bbrawdy@tricityherald.com
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  • Worker finished yard cleanup on Jan. 5; Maurice E. Arrington refused to pay.
  • Arrington retrieved a revolver, approached pickup and fired into passenger door.
  • Police arrested Arrington; he faces first-degree assault and illegal gun charges.

A Prosser man allegedly shot at a worker after refusing to pay for yard work.

The 39-year-old worker had just finished cleaning up a Spokane Avenue property on Jan. 5, but when he asked for payment, Maurice E. Arrington, 58, said he wouldn’t pay.

It’s unclear how much money they were arguing over.

The worker responded that he would just leave the yard waste he picked up, court documents said. Arrington responded that if he dropped the items, then Arrington would “drop him.”

Arrington went back into his home, got a gun and approached the pickup where the worker and his girlfriend were sitting, court documents said. Arrington allegedly began pointing the snub-nosed revolver at the worker, and tapping on the window of the pickup.

The man opened the door with the goal to push the gun away, and Arrington responded by shooting into the passenger door, court documents said.

Police reported seeing a video of the incident showing the victim’s sweatshirt and people talking. Then the video went into slow motion with the sound of a gunshot, court documents said. The video showed debris pass by the victim’s face.

The worker’s girlfriend confirmed the story. Both of them appeared shaken by the experience, court documents said.

Another witness reported hearing the two shots.

Arrington was arrested and is in the Benton County jail on charges of first-degree assault and illegally possessing a gun. He is being held in lieu of $50,000 in bail.

CP
Cameron Probert
Tri-City Herald
Cameron Probert covers breaking news for the Tri-City Herald, where he tries to answer reader questions about why police officers and firefighters are in your neighborhood. He studied communications at Washington State University.https://mycheckout.tri-cityherald.com/subscribe?ofrgp_id=394&g2i_or_o=Event&g2i_or_p=Reporter&cid=news_cta_0.99-1mo-15.99-on-article_202404
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