Police arrest driver in connection to Saturday hit-and-run

Spokane police have arrested a suspect in a hit-and-run crash that reportedly sent a pregnant woman to the hospital on Saturday.

David Brown, 44, was found hiding in a house Tuesday afternoon near West York Avenue and North Maple Street, according to a police news release.

Detectives believe Brown ran a red light in a stolen Chevy Impala and struck an SUV, flipping it over into a front yard Saturday near West Garland Avenue and North Cedar Street.

The driver of the Impala fled the scene on foot, but not before a witness snapped a photo of him, police said. Following up on a tip, officers tracked Brown to the residence and obtained a search warrant.

KHQ reported the driver of the SUV was a pregnant woman who was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Defense attorney Ann Timberlake argued in court Wednesday that there wasn’t enough probable cause to hold Brown on a charge of possession of stolen vehicle. The witness who took the picture of Brown was four blocks away from the accident and told police that he “seemed to be running away from something,” she said.

Prosecuting attorney Jared Cordts said a witness saw a man get out of the stolen car and run away after the crash. That witness saw the picture of Brown and positively identified him as the man he saw, Cordts said.

“I think that establishes probable cause right there,” he said.

Superior Court Judge Greg Sypolt determined there was enough probable cause to support the charge and ordered Brown held in the Spokane County Jail on $100,000 bond.

Court documents indicate Brown, who is also facing a charge of possession of a controlled substance, has an extensive criminal record in California.