By CHERYL SCHWEIZER

Staff Writer

SOAP LAKE — A reserve officer with the Soap Lake Police Department was fired after he allegedly was driving under the influence while using a department vehicle for unauthorized travel.

Shane Jones, 49, was found by a Franklin County Sheriff’s Office deputy, after Jones’ department vehicle was seen at about 8 p.m. Thursday in a ditch along U.S. Route 395, north of Pasco, a FCSO release stated. Jones was the driver and he had a dog with him.

Jones was detained while the Franklin County deputy checked him for DUI, the press release said. During the arrest, Jones tried to resist and the deputy had to use force. People who had stopped to help Jones prior to the deputy’s arrival assisted in the arrest.

“At one point during the altercation Jones was seen pushing a remote and was thought to be attempting to release his dog from the vehicle to come help him,” the press release said.

Soap Lake Police Chief Ryan Cox said in a statement Jones did not have permission to use the SLPD vehicle.

“The officer had a take-home department vehicle, but was not on official business at the time of the incident,” the statement said. “Since the police vehicle was used for unauthorized travel, the Soap Lake Police Department, supported by the policy regarding reserve officers, immediately terminated the reserve officer (Jones) for the unauthorized use of the police vehicle.”

Cox said he “was deeply troubled by this now-former reserve officer’s behavior. This individual violated department policy and the law, and betrayed the public’s trust and our agency standards.”

Jones also is under investigation by the Washington State Patrol in connection with a hit-and-run earlier that same day, the FCSO statement said.

He was taken to the Franklin County Jail, where he remained as of Sunday.