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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Fleeing man escapes briefly after ramming patrol car

A man got away briefly after leading deputies on a chase Saturday morning and ramming a patrol car, but deputies caught up with him and arrested him on multiple charges before the morning was over.

A Spokane County sheriff’s deputy spotted a stolen Dodge pickup driving north on Hatch Road just before 5 a.m. Saturday. The driver initially stopped when the deputy activated his lights, but the driver then threw the truck in reverse and rammed the deputy’s patrol car, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release.

The front end of the patrol car was extensively damaged and the air bag deployed, disabling the car. The deputy had minor injuries from the air bag deployment, the release said.

Another deputy chased the driver, identified as Yuriy V. Siriy, who jumped out of the truck while it was still moving. The truck hit a power pole near Crescent Road and knocked out power to the surrounding area.

An initial search for Siriy came up empty. However, a Spokane County Roads Department employee spotted a disheveled man on Wild Rose Road around 11 a.m. and called deputies. Siriy was located near the Qwik Stop at U.S. Highway 395 and Wild Rose.

Siriy was arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, attempting to elude law enforcement, second-degree assault and first-degree malicious mischief.