Driver Arrested After Chase, Crash

Sun., Sept. 15, 1996

From Staff And Wire Reports

A man led police on a chase early Saturday, running stop lights, stop signs and smashing into two cars - one of them a police cruiser.

Police finally stopped the man’s car, shattered the driver’s window and doused him with pepper spray. No one was injured during the chase, police spokesman Dick Cottam said.

Arthur Lee Pointer, 23, was arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon. “He was assaulting people with his car,” Cottam said.

Pointer was also booked on charges of attempting to escape police, driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with a suspended license, police report.

Police tried to stop Pointer on North Division near Garland about 1:30 a.m. when his car straddled a street divider. Pointer then hit the gas, blowing through the stop lights and signs at high speed, according to reports.

Police report Pointer nearly hit two cars while being pursued. He drove off the road at Lyons and Atlantic. Two patrol cars stopped, then Pointer put his car into reverse - smashing into a police cruiser and nearly running over two officers. Pointer tried to drive away again, and smashed into a car parked at Becker Buick at 6623 N. Division.

“It was a brand new Buick Roadmaster,” said salesman Denny Connors. “He went over a huge curb, took out a chain and a post. You ought to see the hill he climbed to get to us.

“He must have been traveling pretty fast.”

, DataTimes

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.