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August 3, 2010 in City
‘Disparaging remarks’ led to Valley hit and run
A hit-and-run crash that injured a bicyclist in Spokane Valley was apparently a driver’s revenge for the biker insulting his girlfriend, police said today.
Dallas Cress, 22, called Crime Check Sunday afternoon and said he “intentionally struck the bicyclist,” identified as Jonathan W. McElfish, 42, of Spokane, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
McElfish was in the intensive care unit at a local hospital late Monday but had been upgraded to serious condition from critical.
Investigators believe Cress struck McElfish while driving a red 1996 Ford Mustang, then possibly ran him over or drug him with the Mustang. Cress said he and his girlfriend were drunk and arguing in the Costco parking lot in Spokane Valley when McElfish approached on his bike “and says some disparaging remarks about this guy’s girlfriend and pedals away,” said Detective Dave Thornburg.
Cress said he followed McElfish and struck him with his Mustang, Thornburg said.
“He said he meant to hit him with his car because he was mad,” Thornburg said.
Cress faces assault charges but is cooperating with investigators and has not been arrested.
“He gave us a written confession,” Thornburg said. “We seized the car. He knows he screwed up.”
Just because someone says, ‘I did it’ doesn’t mean we’re going to arrest you,” he continued. “We”ll match up the physical evidence to say ‘yes, that car did strike this bike.’”
Human trafficking suspects released 
Itsgodswill on August 03 at 12:18 p.m.
So he not only confessed, but also admitted that he was “drunken arguing”, which obviously means he was “drunken driving” when he decided to hit this guy? Niiiicccceeee.
misjustice on August 03 at 1:28 p.m.
@ Its; the same thoughts crossed my mind, the suspect admitted to drunk driving and vehicular assault, signed a confession; yet is not arrested? His car has been seized, however!
polly on August 03 at 2:18 p.m.
McElfish appears to be a career criminal, from what I found in a quick search (I suppose maybe that’s not him in all those records, but the age sure fits). Looks like he was hit by karma.
spokanada on August 03 at 2:30 p.m.
no it looks like he was hit by some drunken dumbass. Since the suspect was drunk, driving and not arrested could it be that he was a cop?
spokanecommunistparty on August 03 at 4:53 p.m.
Dallas Cress sounds like an angry little rich kid who threw a homicidal tantrum, right in front of everybody. Mr McElfish will certainty receive a hefty insurance settlement. I hope the Spokesman Review follows this story to its conclusion.
Diana on August 03 at 5:07 p.m.
Intentionally hitting someone with a car isn’t attempted murder?
Itsgodswill on August 06 at 10:54 a.m.
@ Diana: Thats exactely what I thought. Especially because of the fact that he was in critical condition. People are idiots, some stupid remarks are no reason to just decide “Yeah..Im gonna hit this guy with my car”…Genius, you probably just pissed because the remarks were true. I wish they’d say what was said, other then some “disparaging remarks”, whatever the hell thats supposed to tell me..
eagleproducer on August 06 at 11:36 a.m.
Cress has to have some connections to wealth… a normal spokie would be under the jail by now.
Let’s see how the SPD can drop the ball on this one or if Tucker will charge appropriately.
haveagoodday on August 06 at 1:34 p.m.
karma, i bet that guy wont be makeing any smart remarks anytime soon