A Navajo man who was shot in the head by an off-duty police officer in Spokane, Washington, is headed to trial on car theft charges.
Shonto Pete is accused of stealing officer Jay Olsen's pickup truck during the early morning hours of February 27. Olsen allegedly witnessed the event and gave chase, firing several shots, one of which hit Pete in the head.
Pete sought to have the charges dismissed, since none of his fingerprints, or any other evidence, was found inside the truck. One of his fingerprints was on the vehicle's exterior.
The judge, however, refused the request. But he ordered a woman who was with Olsen the night of the incident and who allegedly witnessed the theft to be deposed. She has been refusing interviews.
As for Olsen, he faces a single count of first-degree assault and two counts of reckless endangerment. He was laid off from the force after 16 years.
Pete's family experienced tragedy a few months after the incident. His 18-year-old sister, Tasheena Craft, was murdered on the Flathead Reservation in Montana in May.
Get the Story:Car theft charge will go to trial (The Spokesman Review 8/31)
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