RITZVILLE, Wash. (AP) — An Othello man has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter in the death of his 4-year-old son.
Felipe Tapia-Perez entered the plea in Adams County Superior Court this week. A statement of probable cause says Tapia-Perez had a gun he said he recently purchased with him when he drove to the house of the child’s mother to pick up his children.
Documents say the boy ran to the driver’s door and Tapia-Perez said he was handling the weapon when it fired, striking the child.
Tapia-Perez told Othello Police officers he didn’t know the boy was standing there and said he was unfamiliar with firearms.