Stolen Pickup Crashes, Causes Small Brush Fire

From a press release - Firefighters from fire districts 8 and 10 quickly extinguished a small brush fire Saturday evening caused by the crash of a stolen vehicle.

Firefighters were called just before 6 p.m. to State Route 243 South and B-Street next to the gas station in Schwana after witnesses reported a pickup had crashed, a brush fire had started and a man was seen running from the scene. It was soon learned that the 2017 Toyota pickup had just been stolen from a home in Desert Aire.

Mattawa Police and sheriff’s deputies found 40-year-old Fidel Lopez Martinez nearby, who was identified as the man who ran from the burning truck. Martinez is lodged in the Grant County Jail for suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle and possession of a stolen vehicle.

Firefighters kept the brush fire from reaching the pumps at the gas station. District 10 chief Eric Linn credited great interagency teamwork for preventing the fire from causing more damage.

A brief power outage due to the crash was repaired by the Grant PUD.