Suspect arrested after attempted break-in, deputy assault in Chelan

CHELAN — A reported attempted break-in at a Chelan apartment complex on April 4 escalated into a physical confrontation that included an assault on a Chelan County sheriff’s deputy and resulted in a suspect in custody.

Deputies were dispatched at approximately 7:07 p.m. to an apartment complex at 240 E. Johnson Avenue after a resident called 911 to report a man outside her unit pounding on the door, trying the handle, and shouting threats.

A deputy already nearby arrived within minutes and entered the building to locate the individual and check on residents. In the hallway, the deputy encountered a man matching the description leaving another apartment.

The man, later identified as Alejandro Morales-Gonzales, was holding a metal object when contacted. The deputy gave commands in Spanish, and Morales-Gonzales initially complied.

But according to the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, the situation escalated when the deputy attempted to detain him. Morales-Gonzales resisted and struck the deputy in the face, leading to a struggle inside the building.

An assisting deputy arrived shortly afterward, and the two were able to restrain Morales-Gonzales despite continued resistance. Medics responded to evaluate him at the scene before he was transported to a local hospital for further medical care. The deputy declined treatment.

Investigators later determined Morales-Gonzales had recently been trespassed from another apartment in the complex following a domestic dispute and no longer had permission to be on the property.

Authorities also reported that evidence at the scene suggested possible drug involvement.

Morales-Gonzales was arrested on probable cause for attempted residential burglary in the second degree, assault in the third degree, and resisting arrest.

The incident remains under investigation.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media