Breaking News

Man accepts plea deal stemming from March shooting in Pullman

June 12, 2009, 3:34 pm

The getaway driver from a March shooting in Pullman pleaded guilty to a charge of first-degree rendering criminal assistance Friday.

Rylan J. Wallace, 21, accepted a plea deal from Prosecutor Denis Tracy. In exchange, he agreed to testify against Lewis A. Lawrence if he goes to trial. Police allege Lawrence shot another man in the face at the Providence Court Apartments in Pullman on March 17.

Whitman County Superior Court Judge David Frazier sentenced Wallace to a little more than a year in state prison.

Police identified Wallace as the getaway driver who took Lawrence, 20, across the Idaho border after he allegedly fired several close-range shots at Michael Fuaau, 22, of Pullman.

Fuaau was taken to Pullman Regional Hospital and treated for his injuries.

Moscow Police apprehended both Lawrence and Wallace, who also had a gun in his car at the time of his arrest.

Tracy said he dropped a sentencing enhancement charge for the gun in the vehicle, which would have added a year to Wallace’s prison sentence.

Lawrence has not yet entered his plea to three charges of attempted murder and one count of first-degree burglary. He’s being evaluated at Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake after the court raised questions in March about his sanity and ability to stand trial.

Tracy said doctors are working with Lawrence to restore his competency to stand trial before his next court date, July 31.