Woman escapes possible attack by leaping from car

A 22-year-old Spokane woman escaped a threatened sexual assault late Monday by jumping out of a moving car driven by a man who said he intended to harm her and leave her in the woods, a sheriff’s spokesman said.

The suspect, 45-year-old Anthony S. Prisco, of 227 E. Heroy, was later arrested and charged with unlawful imprisonment and felony harassment, Spokane County Sheriff’s spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan said in a press release.

The incident started at about 8 p.m. Monday night when the victim, her uncle and Prisco went to a downtown bar for drinks. The victim said she’s known Prisco as an acquaintance for about two years, Reagan said.

At about 10:30 p.m., Prisco offered the victim a ride home and she accepted. The woman told Deputy Damon Anderberg that she became concerned when Prisco drove west instead of north toward her home.

When she asked, Prisco told her he was going to rape her and leave her in the woods where no one would ever find her, Reagan said.

In response, the woman tried three times to jump from the moving car, Reagan said. But Reagan said Prisco would grab her and hold her coat. She took off the coat but the man held her by her hair.

She eventually succeeded in jumping from the car. Deputies Anderberg and Kevin Richey were able to find marks in the snow that appeared to show where she had jumped, Reagan said.

Spokane Police then watched Prisco’s home Monday night and early Tuesday, but he didn’t return.

Then at 7:10 a.m. Tuesday, a woman called Crime Check and reported a Buick Century off the road and stuck in the snow on Christensen Road north of Deep Creek Road, Reagan said.

Airway Heights Officer Thomas Gravelle responded and found Prisco inside the car. Gravelle held Prisco there until deputies could arrive and take him to the Spokane County Jail, Reagan said.