Jimmy Marks Blames City After Suspect Crashes Into Cars

Sat., May 24, 1997

By Kevin Blocker kevinb@spokesman.com

A high-speed chase ended Friday afternoon when a burglary suspect hit two parked cars be longing to members of the Marks family.

The accident occurred next to the home of Grover Marks at Fifth and Thor.

Marks, who died last week, was buried Friday.

Members of his family had just returned from the funeral when their two unoccupied GMC Suburbans were hit by the burglary suspect.

No one was hurt.

“This is the city’s fault,” said Jimmy Marks, Grover’s son. “This is the city’s fault. The city of Spokane is liable for this.”

Police responded to a residential burglary call at Ninth and Thor around 3 p.m. Friday, said Lt. Al Odenthal.

When they arrived, two teenage boys fled the house, one on foot, the other in a car.

The boy in the car collided with a pickup truck at 11th and Ray, police said.

He then sped north on Freya, reaching speeds of up to 70 mph.

“At that point we terminated the chase because of the high number of pedestrians in the area,” Odenthal said.

As police approached the suspect in the car from the north, Odenthal said the teen made a left onto Fifth before hitting the two suburbans.

Both juveniles were arrested on charges of residential burglary. The juvenile driving the car was also charged with attempting to elude police.

Jimmy Marks said the family will file a claim against the city for damages.

, DataTimes

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