SPOKANE VALLEY – Three teenagers, two aged 15 and a 14 year old, were arrested and placed in juvenile detention after they tried running from police when they were pulled over in a stolen car in the 5600 block of E. Sprague.
On May 31, 2023, at approximately 12:15 am, Spokane Valley Deputy Ball observed a Hyundai Sonata going west on Sprague near S. McKinnon Road. Both license plates of the vehicle were bent up at approximately a 90-degree angle, making them unreadable.
Knowing license plates are often bent or obscured to prevent them from being readable to conceal criminal activity, Deputy Ball turned around to stop the vehicle.
Deputy Ball activated his emergency lights and siren to stop the vehicle for unreadable license plates and for operating a vehicle on the roadway without lights. As he pulled behind the car, he could read the license plates and provided that information to dispatchers as the three people in the car jumped out and ran.
Dispatchers quickly advised the return for the license plate showed the vehicle had been reported stolen.
Deputy Ball got a good initial look at the suspects and determined he needed to focus on catching the driver, described as a black male wearing a red sweatshirt and jeans. He drove toward the suspect with his emergency equipment still activated as additional patrol units responded to assist.
The driver ran to the south, across Sprague, with Deputy Ball following in his patrol car. When Deputy Ball entered the parking lot, the suspect turned around and ran north, back across Sprague.
Deputy Sullivan arrived to assist, observed the driver running from Deputy Ball, and quickly detained the suspect.
Additional assisting Deputies located and detained the two passengers, described as a male and a white female, both wearing black clothing. As juveniles, none were questioned beyond obtaining their names and parents’ information, per Washington State law.
The victim of the vehicle theft was contacted, and she arrived at the scene to retake possession of her vehicle but did not recognize any of the three suspects.
The three juveniles were charged with Obstructing a Law Enforcement Officer for intentionally running from the stolen vehicle when Deputy Ball attempted to conduct a lawful traffic stop and conduct an investigation.
Lacking probable cause to charge any of the suspects for actually stealing the car, the driver was additionally charged with Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle.
All three juveniles were transported and booked into the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center for the listed charges.
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