Newest arrest puts man in SPD’s top 10

A man considered one of Spokane’s most active criminals allegedly rammed a police vehicle during a pursuit late Monday, leading to his seventh arrest since December.

Police spotted Aleksey Y. Solodyankin, 31, driving recklessly near Cincinnati Street and North Avenue about 10:40 p.m., but it took spike strips, a dozen officers and two tries of force over two miles to stop his car, according to court documents.

Solodyankin was arrested after a second officer rammed the back of the car at Pearl Street and Boone Avenue, forcing it into a spin, stopping the chase.

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Solodyankin was arrested in January in connection with two December smash-and-grab burglaries.

His alleged accomplice, 24-year-old Yan Yefremov, has a criminal history similar in length to Solodyankin’s. He was arrested in February in an alleged drug and stolen property crime spree.

Yefremov’s newest charge is a federal one - he was indicted Tuesday in U.S. District Court on one count of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition for a Glock pistol he allegedly possessed on Dec. 9.