Felon Attempts Escape, Hits Tree

A convicted felon was arrested early Sunday after her pickup hit a tree at the corner of Standard and Montgomery in an attempt to escape, Spokane police said.

Valerie M. Mondini, of 4908 N. Martin, was stopped at 1:30 a.m. for traffic violations. Police then discovered she had two outstanding warrants in Everett, police spokesman Dick Cottam said.

Officers told her to get out of the truck. Instead she pressed the accelerator, but the pickup was not in gear and officers pulled her from the truck, police said.

The gears then engaged, and the empty truck traveled north across Montgomery and onto a residential lawn on the west side of Standard and struck a tree, Cottam said.

Police found crack cocaine, marijuana, $2,200 in cash, crack pipes, prescription drugs and a .32-caliber revolver, he said.

Mondini has five felony convictions and legally cannot have a firearm. She was booked into Spokane County Jail on a charge of intent to deliver drugs.