On December 1, 2023, Spokane Valley Deputy Vince McKenzie found himself in a late-night pursuit after attempting to stop a Toyota truck with a suspected impaired driver. What ensued was a chase, a failed attempt to flee on foot, and a subsequent arrest that revealed a troubling criminal history.
The incident unfolded at approximately 11:20 pm when Deputy McKenzie observed the Toyota truck, driven by 28-year-old Alejandro N. Manzo, stopped at a red light on Sprague. Noticing that the truck’s headlights were off, McKenzie initiated a traffic stop.
Rather than complying, Manzo chose to evade the deputy, making an escape that involved spinning the truck, getting stuck in a snowbank, and ultimately fleeing on foot. Despite Deputy McKenzie’s pursuit, Manzo managed to slip through yards, prompting a perimeter to be established and a K9 Unit to join the hunt. The fugitive was eventually found hiding under a vehicle, leading to his arrest.
The passenger in Manzo’s vehicle, who claimed to have just met him at a bar, was questioned and released without charges. Meanwhile, Manzo, who asserted his homeless status, displayed indicators of alcohol use and impairment. Deputy McKenzie secured a search warrant to obtain a blood sample for testing, revealing a troubling history of convictions, a suspended driver’s license, and the absence of a required interlock device in Manzo’s vehicle.
What makes this incident particularly concerning is Manzo’s extensive criminal history and his status on supervised Federal Probation. Even after being booked into jail on charges including felony attempt to elude law enforcement and misdemeanor counts of DUI, obstructing, and more, Manzo managed to post bail and walk free before his probation officer could be notified.
It wasn’t until two days later on Dec. 4 that U.S. Marshals rearrested Manzo, booking him into the Spokane County Jail on a U.S. Marshal Hold, where he currently remains. The delay in notifying federal probation authorities raises questions about the efficiency of the system in preventing potentially dangerous individuals from being released back into the community.
Clare is an Eastern Washington University graduate and a reporter at Free Press Publishing.
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