High speed chase ends with man in custody

A high speed chase began near Spokane Valley early Sunday and reached speeds of 85 to 105 miles per hour before ending in Cheney with one man in custody. Christopher J. Lloyd, 49, was taken into custody by Spokane County sheriff’s deputies on suspicion of eluding a police vehicle and unlawful imprisonment.

A deputy takes into custody the driver of a car that overturned in Cheney at the conclusion of a high-speed chase early Sunday morning. (SR Photo: Tyler Tjomsland) A woman who was a passenger in Lloyd’s car told deputies she kept begging him to stop and let her out, but he refused, a news release from the sheriff said. The incident began around midnight on Sunday when deputies went to Havana Street and Sprague Avenue on a report of a man pulling a knife during an argument over money, the release said. While deputies talked to the alleged victim, Lloyd returned to the scene but quickly left when he saw the deputies, the release said. Lloyd fled from deputies and drove recklessly throughout Spokane Valley, avoiding deputies’ attempts to flatten his tires. He also failed to stop at stop signs and red lights. Lloyd eventually headed west on Interstate 90, then exited toward Cheney and began driving toward that city, the release said. A deputy conducted a successful PIT maneuver, spinning Lloyd’s vehicle and causing it to tip onto its side. Lloyd was taken into custody without further incident. The woman passenger in Lloyd’s car told deputies Lloyd, whom she had been dating, was giving her a ride after work. She said she yelled at him during the chase to stop and let her out but he refused. She suffered a minor cut to her forearm, the release said.

At left, a deputy speaks with the occupant of an overturned car at the conclusion of a high-speed chase that started in Spokane Valley and ended in Cheney. (SR Photo: Tyler Tjomsland) Lloyd told deputies he argued and fought with the man at Havana and Sprague, but denied pulling a knife. Lloyd said the man owed him money. When asked why he didn’t stop and talk to deputies, Lloyd said he didn’t want to risk going to jail. Deputies did not locate the knife initially reported. No one else was injured during the incident.