High-Speed Chase In Valley Called Off By Sheriff’S Deputies

Thu., Jan. 21, 1999

By Angie Gaddy angieg@spokesman.com

A high-speed chase through the Spokane Valley was called off Saturday night after sheriff’s deputies decided that continuing could endanger other drivers.

It began near Sprague and Mullan at around 8 p.m. when a deputy noticed a 1981 Ford Mustang without its headlights on.

The deputy turned north onto Mullan to follow the car and turned on his lights and siren.

That’s when the driver of the Mustang began to speed away, switching recklessly from lane to lane.

The Mustang then turned west onto Valleyway and ran the stop sign at Argonne at 40 to 45 mph.

Other deputies joined the pursuit as the Mustang traveled along Vista, Broadway, Mission, Argonne and Mullan before turning onto Sprague Avenue and heading east.

At times the Mustang was speeding down Sprague at 60 mph, running red lights and wildly switching from lane to lane, deputies said.

The driver passed through three road blocks. Deputies called off the pursuit at 8:13 p.m., fearing the Mustang’s driver would endanger others if they kept up the chase.

The car was last seen heading westbound on Sprague near Evergreen.

The car is described as a brown 1981 Ford Mustang hatchback with a “Metallica” sticker in the rear window.

The driver is described as a white male in his 20s or 30s with dark, collar-length hair and a dark mustache. He was wearing a baseball cap.

Anyone with more information is asked to call Crime Check at 456-2233.

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