Fleeing car theft suspect steals police car

A car theft suspect being chased on foot by a Spokane County sheriff’s deputy Thursday night doubled back and stole the deputy’s patrol car on Spokane’s South Hill. Deputies scrambled to find the missing car, which contained a shotgun and AR-15 rifle. The car was taken near Stone and Lee streets and found abandoned a short time later a few blocks away with the guns still inside, officials said. Deputies caught up to the suspect in the 4500 block of South Myrtle. Taylor J. Davis, 26, was arrested on multiple charges. He has a lengthy criminal history that includes assault, car theft, possession of a stolen vehicle and attempting to elude a police officer. In 2007, Davis was wounded by a Spokane police officer who opened fire when Davis rammed a patrol car with a stolen car, knocking another officer off his feet. The county’s patrol cars are not equipped with GPS tracking devices but will be starting in January 2015, Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said.