By SCOTT NORTH
Herald Writer
Two teen-agers are facing lengthy prison terms after pleading guilty in a case that involved a police chase near Lake Stevens and gunfire directed at a Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy.
The crime was the last in a series for Brandon Joseph Gerner, 17, of Everett and Duane Roderick Lynch, 18, of Marysville, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Michael Magee said Thursday.
Under plea agreements, the pair pleaded guilty to 10 felonies and admitted other crimes ranging from attempting to elude police to burglary and assault, Magee said.
"Basically, these two had been on a spree, and it came to an abrupt halt," Magee said.
Lynch pleaded guilty Dec. 8 to attempting to elude police, second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and two counts of first-degree burglary.
His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 11. He can expect to serve roughly 15 years in prison if sentenced as recommended under the plea agreement, Magee said.
Gerner pleaded guilty to six felonies on Thursday, including attempting to elude police and second-degree assault for shooting at the deputy and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree burglary and third-degree assault.
The third-degree assault stems from a Nov. 1 shooting in Everett that resulted in a man losing an arm. One of the burglaries involved the theft of firearms from an Everett-area home, including an SKS military-style rifle, which was in the car the night the deputy was shot at, according to court papers.
Gerner’s sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 13. If punished in keeping with the plea agreement, he can expect to receive a 24-year sentence. Even with credit for good behavior, more than 20 years should pass before Gerner will again be free, Magee said.
Gerner was a passenger Nov. 3 in a car that we being driven by Lynch when Deputy Jeff Stemme tried to stop the vehicle near Lake Stevens after it raced through a 25 mph zone at 50 mph. The deputy backed away, however, when Gerner stood up through an open sunroof and shot at the patrol car.
The pair crashed the car and fled, eluding police for a few days before being captured.
Both teens have extensive juvenile criminal histories.
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