SPOKANE, Wash. – A wanted man with multiple prior felony convictions was arrested by Spokane County Sheriff’s Office deputies on multiple charges, including kidnapping, after jumping in the Spokane River to avoid arrest.
The man had an active felony warrant for escaping community custody on burglary charges.
According to a press release from SCSO, deputies responded to the initial incident at around 9:55 p.m. on January 30.
While investigating, SCSO said deputies learned that a 31-year-old man had grabbed a woman from her sister’s car and forcibly dragged her into his red Ford F-150 truck earlier that day. The woman said she was afraid the man would assault her, and noted that he had shown her a handgun a week prior.
She jumped out of the moving car near East Trent Avenue and North Hamilton Street.
SCSO said they located the truck in a parking lot on East Indiana Avenue, but not the man until the following day when he was seen near the Centennial Trail and Spokane River.
The man ran from police for more than 0.25 miles before entering the water in the Spokane River.
SCSO said the man began to pull himself out of the water when additional deputies arrived. He was provided medical treatment before being taken into custody on new charges of first-degree kidnapping (domestic violence), harassment (domestic violence) and misdemeanor charges of fourth-degree assault and resisting arrest.
