Officers Contacted The Suspects Because Of Warrants
SAND CITY—Two Sand City police officers are recovering in stable condition at local hospital after they were shot at by two suspects during a confrontation that occurred at the Target Shopping Center in Sand City. The suspects in the incident were killed by police, and have been identified as 27-year-old William Spaits and 23-year-old Tina Money, both of Seaside.
On Monday, September 21 police, later identified as Officer Larry Escobar and Officer Jeff Bushnell, contacted the couple outside the Target shopping center in Sand City because security personnel had noticed Spaits, and called for the police. The two had several outstanding warrants for their arrest.
The two suspects had a long criminal history, and Spaits was suspected of being involved in a burglary that occurred that morning – a B.O.L. (Be On the Lookout) was issued by law enforcement authorities.
William Spaits in a 2011 Facebook picture
Records going back to 2006, when Spaits was 18, show he was arrested for burglary and criminal conspiracy in September of that year. In May of 2007 he was charged with possession of a controlled substance and giving false identification to an officer. Later that year, in November he was arrested for committing statutory rape.
A couple years later, in February of 2010, he was arrested once again for burglary, and for passing a forged check. In November 2011 he was charged with displaying an “imitation firearm”, possession of a dangerous weapon and a parole violation. Two months later, in January 2012 he was arrested for reckless driving, being under the influence of a controlled substance, and another parole violation. And in March, he was charged with filing a false emergency report, child cruelty or endangerment, and resisting arrest, along with another parole violation.
Last year, on December 23, 2104, he was arrested for domestic violence – inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or co-habitant, possession of stolen property and drug paraphernalia, and driving on a suspended license. And this year, prior to this most recent incident, on July 17 he was arrested for criminal conspiracy and theft by false impersonation of another.
Tina Money was also arrested when she was just 19, in 2011. In June of that year she was charged with public intoxication. Then in March of 2012 she was arrested for sexual battery – sexual contact with someone against their will and while being restrained. The next year, in February 2013, she was charged with violating a protective court order. In January of 2014 she was arrested for DUI, and in August for a probation violation.
“The suspects were known to the police has have active warrants for their arrest.” Sand City Police Chief Brain Ferrante said, “After the confrontation, apparently there was an exchange of gun fire”.
Tina Money and her daughter in an image posted on the GoFundMe account to raise money for her support.
Authorities arrested another suspect, who was found in the back seat of the stolen car that the couple were riding in when they were confronted at the shopping center. He was identified as Gregory Allen Warren, who at this time will not be charged in relation of the shooting, but was booked for a probation violation. Warren, of Salinas, has a history of drug related offenses, and has also been charged in the past with burglary and possession of a firearm.
The investigation has been taken over by the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, and as of this moment it is still an active case and the investigation continues.
Meanwhile, friends of Tina Money have set up a GoFundMe account to try to raise money for funeral expenses and to support her 5-year-old daughter, Hannah.
CrimeVoice staff contributed to this report
