In brief: Stolen-car chase ends in crash

A police chase with a stolen car ended with the thief slamming into an elderly woman in an SUV on Thursday. 

 The woman was hospitalized after her SUV was knocked on its side by a stolen Acura driven by Shawn M. McCoy, 26, according to the Spokane Police Department.

McCoy is a “prolific car thief” who fled police when they tried to stop him near North Elm Street and West Montgomery Avenue just after noon, according to a news release.

Police lost sight of the Acura near Cannon Park.

McCoy slammed into the SUV on Northwest Boulevard near Oak Street a few minutes later. He fled on foot but was arrested a few blocks away.

Now he’s in jail on outstanding warrants as well as new charges of attempting to elude police, possession of a stolen vehicle, and hit and run.

The crash closed Northwest Boulevard between Ash Street and Cannon Street for several hours.

Rape suspect appears in court

A child rape suspect pulled from his burning Chattaroy home this week remains jailed on $250,000 bail after his first court appearance Thursday.

David Wayne Jewell, 40, faces first-degree child molestation and first-degree arson charges after he allegedly tried to torch his home at 34124 N. Newport Highway when deputies arrived to investigate a child rape report about 1:20 a.m. Wednesday.

Jewell lit the home on fire and was pulled to safety while wielding a knife and homemade flame thrower, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. He was shocked with a Taser after refusing to drop the items.

Jewell denied the rape allegation in interviews with detectives at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, where he was treated before being booked into jail. Jewell appeared before Superior Court Judge Linda Tompkins on Thursday via video from the jail.