SPOKANE, Wash. – Spokane County deputies used Air-1, the office’s Bell OH-58 helicopter, to locate a driver who evaded deputies on I-90, travelling over 90 miles per hour with no headlights on.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said the first interaction with the suspect took place around 11 p.m. on Saturday night on Division near Lyons Ave. A deputy at the intersection clocked the suspect’s car going 94 miles per hour without headlights.
The deputy attempted to pull over the suspect’s car for a traffic stop, but the suspect accelerated and switched lanes, according to the sheriff’s office.
The deputy did not pursue the suspect after deciding it would cause danger to other drivers, but established probable cause to charge the suspect with attempting to elude police, a felony.
The sheriff’s office said that “within minutes,” its Air 1 helicopter located the runaway car and tracked it to a home in the 3000 block of Hamilton Ave.
Video from Air 1 shows the suspect getting out of the car and entering the home.
Deputies brought a K9 and went to the house and set up a perimeter. The sheriff’s office said deputies made several announcements advising the suspect to surrender peacefully.
As they prepared a search warrant, the suspect exited the department and was detained by deputies, according to the sheriff’s office.
The office said the 35-year-old suspect said in part, “I’m going to tell you it was me,” while being arrested.
The suspect was booked into the Spokane County Jail for attempting to elude a police vehicle. He later posted his $5,000 bond and was released from custody.
