Driver of stolen Honda arrested on East Empire

A level 3 sex offender who hasn’t checked in with authorities recently was arrested Sunday evening after he allegedly crashed into another car while fleeing Spokane police in a stolen Honda.
Travis R. Keene, 30, is to appear in Superior Court this afternoon on charges of taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s permission, eluding police, possession of methamphetamine and illegal possession of a firearm.
Spokane police Officer Sean Wheeler spotted the stolen Honda while patrolling on Division Street near Glass Avenue and tried to stop it, but Keene drove away at speeds of 45 mph, police said …

A level 3 sex offender who hasn’t checked in with authorities recently was arrested Sunday evening after he allegedly crashed into another car while fleeing Spokane police in a stolen Honda.

Travis R. Keene, 30, is to appear in Superior Court this afternoon on charges of taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s permission, eluding police, possession of methamphetamine and illegal possession of a firearm.

Spokane police Officer Sean Wheeler spotted the stolen Honda while patrolling on Division Street near Glass Avenue and tried to stop it, but Keene drove away at speeds of 45 mph, police said.

Keene crashed into another vehicle at the intersection of East Empire Avenue and North Perry Street about a minute later, injuring a woman driver and child in the other vehicle, police said. They did not need to be hospitalized.

Keene fled the crash scene on foot, according to police, but was chased down by Wheeler. He was first taken to a hospital to check on back pain, police said. He’s now in jail on the new charges and a probation hold. Keene, classified as a sex offender considered most likely to reoffend, is on Department of Corrections supervision until 2013.

He was released from prison in November 2006 after serving three years for third-degree rape. He also has a conviction as a teenager for lewd conduct.

The sheriff’s office sex offender registry lists him as noncompliant for failing to verify his address.