Bicycle Bandit gets 17 years in federal prison

The “bicycle bandit,” who committed nine armed bank robberies in Spokane from which he fled on a bike, has been sentenced to 17 years in federal prison. Lucas G. Woodard, 34, was sentenced Thursday after previously pleading guilty to the robberies, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Eastern Washington. Woodard robbed nine banks between December 2009 and October 2010, when he was arrested after fleeing a Washington Trust Bank branch at 1906 W. Francis Ave. Spokane police Sgt. Jason Hartman, who was off-duty at the time, heard radio traffic about a bank robbery, saw Woodard fleeing the scene and steered his patrol vehicle into the path of Woodard’s bicycle. When Woodard fell to the ground, a Glock 9 MM semi-automatic pistol and some rounds of ammunition fell out of his backpack. Hartman later received department commendations for his actions.