In a tragic turn of events on June 16, 2019, John Roger Swigart, a 59-year-old Caucasian male from Pasco, Washington, was fatally shot during a confrontation in a rural area near Bickleton. The incident, which occurred on Jenson Quarry Road, stemmed from an ongoing dispute between Swigart and Mark Lessly Allen, a 61-year-old man from Roosevelt. The two men, who were once friends, had a soured relationship due to a disagreement over a road.
This long-standing feud had escalated to the point where the Klickitat County Sheriff's Office had previously suggested they seek court orders against each other, though neither man had done so.
On the afternoon of his death, Swigart was leaving his cabin with his girlfriend and her sister in separate vehicles. They encountered Allen driving in the opposite direction on Jensen Quarry Road. Swigart and Allen both stopped their trucks in the middle of the road, exited their vehicles, and an altercation quickly ensued. During the physical struggle, Allen managed to retrieve a. 40-caliber pistol from his pickup.
According to Allen's account to investigators, he initially fired the weapon as a warning. The fight continued, and the two men ended up on the ground in the grass next to the road. Allen claimed that Swigart had his hands around his neck and had threatened to kill him. Fearing for his life and beginning to lose consciousness, Allen stated that he fired the gun over his shoulder, unintentionally striking Swigart in the head. Witnesses, the two women with Swigart, reported that Allen fired multiple times before the final, fatal shot.
Following the shooting, Mark Lessly Allen was taken into custody and booked into the Klickitat County jail. However, he was later released. The Klickitat County Prosecuting Attorney reviewed the investigation and determined that criminal charges would not be filed against Allen, citing a strong argument for self-defense. Investigators noted that Allen had a bloody nose and some discoloration on the back of his head and neck, injuries consistent with his claim of being attacked. The sheriff also publicly agreed with the prosecutor's decision not to press charges.
