Early morning drive ends in crash, arrest

A man drove erratically the wrong way on the 6800 block of North Division Street early Friday morning as they watched, Spokane County sheriff’s deputies say.

Deputies said a dark-colored Chevrolet Caprice drove the wrong way at 2 a.m. in traffic lanes and almost got stuck on the center median as it swerved across Division traveling south.

When the deputies pursued the vehicle, they saw a male passenger hanging out of the front passenger window.

The car turned west onto Francis Avenue and the passenger slid back inside. The car turned into a parking lot and returned to Division, traveling southbound at 60 to 70 miles an hour, the deputies said.

The car crashed into a large brick flower pot near the 5800 block of Division, and the passenger fled on foot. The driver, Gerald Ashby, 22, was arrested and booked into Spokane County Jail on a felony charge of attempting to elude, and misdemeanor charges of driving with a suspended license, reckless endangerment and driving under the influence, according to the Sheriff’s Office. He was also booked on an active warrant for driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license.