Undersheriff Johannson says that on 01-05-21 deputies were dispatched to Alder Place in Elma, Washington for a domestic violence incident that was in progress.  The reporting party called dispatch to report that she spoke with a female located at the Alder Place residence.  The female told the reporting party that her husband was intoxicated, upset, and shot a gun in the residence. 

The male suspect had talked about being suicidal recently as well.  The reporting party advised there were three small children in the residence with the married couple.  The reporting party explained that she could hear the female screaming and then the call was disconnected.  Deputies responded to the scene and requested additional units.  Elma PD, McCleary PD and a K-9 Officer from the Aberdeen Police Department responded to assist.

On 12/15/20, a Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 300 block of Stamper Road with an Elma Police Officer who responded to assist.
 
The driver of the vehicle was arrested for traffic violations and subsequently searched. During the search, officers located a recently stolen fuel card from a burglarized Elma business. Officers also observed items in the suspect’s vehicle that could have been stolen.
 
Officers applied for and were granted search warrants for the suspect's vehicle and his residence, to recover additional property related to the burglary.
 
Elma Officers, with the assistance of Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Deputies, served the search warrant on the suspect’s residence in which during the search, officers located several additional items from the Elma burglary along with multiple items stolen from other East County burglaries.
 
Several firearms were located, including two handguns that had the serial numbers scratched off.
 
The Elma man was arrested but released due to health concerns. Charges were forwarded to the Grays Harbor Prosecutor’s Office for possession of the stolen property, unlawful possession of a firearm, and altering identifying marks on a firearm.