Road Rage = Bad Idea!
While Flashing a Gun = Really Bad Idea!
As a 5-Time Convicted Felon = Extremely Bad Idea!
Spokane Valley Deputies, responding to a call a male suspect in a vehicle who displayed a handgun and was now chasing the caller who was in his car trying to get away. Deputies located both vehicle’s and after conducting an investigation, the suspect driver, found to be a 5-time convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm, was arrested. The victim was not injured and declined to pursue charges.
On March 7, 2019, at approximately 3:40 p.m., Spokane Valley Deputies responded to a victim reporting he was being chased by a male, later identified as 41-year-old Juan C. Bastiva. He explained Bastiva pulled up next to his vehicle near Adams and Sprague and began yelling for him to pull over. Bastiva pulled out a black colored pistol and displayed it but never pointed the weapon at the victim. At one point, Bastiva’s passenger got out of the vehicle and approached the victim’s car on foot. The victim took off, and Bastiva began to chase him.
The victim called 911 and reported the incident as they drove north on Sullivan. The victim pulled into a parking lot on the corner of Broadway and Sullivan and struck a curb, disabling his vehicle. Bastiva, in a purple colored Pontiac Grand Prix, drove past and continued westbound on Broadway.
Deputy Joseph Adams and Deputy Skye Ortiz arrived at the intersection of Adams and Broadway and observed a purple Pontiac drive past. Believing this was the suspect vehicle, they pulled in behind the Pontiac and activated their emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop.
They gave multiple commands for Bastiva to keep his hands visible over the patrol vehicle’s PA system, but he did not comply. He continually dropped his hands out of sight and appeared to be reaching for something. With Bastiva failing to follow commands and not knowing if he was reaching for the reported weapon, additional Deputies arrived to assist.
Bastiva began to follow commands, exited the vehicle with his hands up, and he was safely detained. Deputies moved forward to clear the car to ensure no one else was inside and observed a dark colored handgun (Hi-Point C9) with a magazine in the pistol sitting on the passenger’s side seat with another black, extended magazine lying next to it.
Bastiva’s version of events changed several times during the investigation saying a male attempted to rob him and dropped the pistol in his vehicle when he drove away. He said he was from Yakima but was in Spokane Valley because he had nowhere to live and was looking for work.
The victim was contacted and interviewed. He refused to identify Bastiva as the person who chased him and brandished the weapon while declining to pursue charges.
A check of Bastiva’s name revealed he is a 5-time convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm.
He was transported and booked into the Spokane County Jail for felony Unlawful Possession of a Firearm 1st Degree.