Store Robbery Suspect Caught After Chase

Fri., Nov. 5, 1999

From Staff Reports

A man suspected of robbing a shoe store was arrested Thursday after leading sheriff’s deputies on a chase through the Spokane Valley.

Sean Welsh, 21, was booked into the county jail on suspicion of first-degree robbery, said Inspector David Wiyrick, sheriff’s spokesman.

Deputies believe Welsh robbed the Payless shoe store at McDonald and Sprague about 3:30 p.m.

Employees there said a man walked into the store, pulled out a gun, demanded cash and then ran away with an undisclosed amount of money.

Other witnesses told authorities they saw a man matching the robber’s description get into a tan Ford Mustang parked nearby and drive away.

Deputy Jamie Patton spotted the Mustang heading north on Sullivan Road a few minutes later.

Patton and other authorities then pursued the car east on Interstate 90, south on Barker and west on Broadway, where it finally stopped.

The driver, later identified as Welsh, then surrendered.

Deputies found money and a pellet gun inside the Mustang, Wiyrick said.

Speeds during the pursuit didn’t exceed 60 mph, Wiyrick said.

A deputy trying to join the chase collided with another motorist on Barker Road. No one was hurt in that crash, although both cars sustained damage, he said.

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.