A suspect wanted for stealing his mother’s car and forcibly attempting to take her purse led Spokane County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a chase through Airway Heights last Wednesday evening, injuring a police officer and eventually being captured by a local K9 unit.
At 7:40 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3, deputies responded to West MacFarlane Road and North Craig Road to check for a vehicle reported stolen.
The vehicle had been reported earlier in the day when the registered owner and victim stated her son, 26-year-old Alfredo Monge, attempted to forcibly take her purse before stealing the vehicle. Deputies were originally unable to locate the vehicle, so Deputy Brad Humphrey visited the registered owner’s residence, where he heard a male and female fighting.
A moment later, the victim opened the door with Monge standing behind her, holding a knife to his own throat. According to a Spokane County Sherriff’s Office press release, the victim stood between Humphrey and Monge, shouting, “Don’t shoot him!” while Monge yelled that he was going to kill himself. Humphrey requested emergency assistance and several units from multiple agencies began to respond.
According to the press release, Humphrey feared for the victim’s safety and secured the victim in his patrol car a safe distance away as additional officers arrived.
With deputies attempting to set up a perimeter around the residence, Monge ran out of the home’s back door and fled in the stolen vehicle, driving westbound on West Thorpe Road.
Deputy Drew Richmond attempted to get Monge to stop, driving up behind him and using his emergency lights. Monge accelerated and fled with Richmond pursing. A vehicle carrying Humphrey and Deputy Christ Giacomini also pursued.
The pursuit continued into the Petro Station parking lot on Aero Road. Richmond attempted a pursuit intervention technique to end the pursuit. The technique is known as a PIT maneuver and is a pursuit tactic by which a pursuing car can force a fleeing car to turn sideways abruptly, causing the driver to lose control and stop.
Monge’s vehicle spun 180 degrees while he tried to maintain control and struck Richmond’s driver’s side door causing the door glass to shatter. Monge fled the parking lot, when Giacomini successfully conducted another PIT maneuver on the I-90 overpass.
Monge jumped out of the vehicle and, still armed with a knife, threatened again to kill himself. According to the press release, Monge suddenly ran, turning unexpectedly toward the edge of the overpass and jumping off, falling about 20 feet onto a muddy embankment.
K9 unit handler Deputy Clay Hilton and K9 officer Bane had deployed during the foot pursuit, and Hilton attempted to call off Bane when Monge leapt over the overpass edge, but Bane had already jumped. K9 Bane quickly caught up to Monge, made contact and held on as Monge tried to pull him into lanes of travel on I-90 and tried to release his grip. Deputies quickly arrived to assist and took Monge into custody.
According to the Spokane County Sherriff’s Office, Monge received medical treatment before being transported and booked into the Spokane County Jail for attempting to elude a police vehicle, theft of a motor vehicle, unlawful imprisonment, resisting arrest and driving while suspended 3rd degree.
Richmond received medical attention for minor injuries from falling glass. No other citizens or officers — canine or otherwise — were harmed.
Two patrol vehicles damaged during the incident were removed from service to be repaired.
Shannen Talbot can be reached at [email protected].
Reader Comments(0)