Spokane police officer injured in crash involving two shoplifting suspects

A Spokane police officer was injured Wednesday evening in a vehicle collision with theft suspects attempting to flee, police said in a news release.

Marlene Pfeiffer, 32, and Stephen Brown, 40, were arrested after crashing their vehicle and taking off on foot. Police said impairment and reckless driving led to the collision.

Police said they received a call at about 9 p.m. that a couple was shoplifting from a business at the Northpointe Plaza shopping center in the 9600 block of North Newport Highway. Police accuse them of stealing $2,000 worth of retail items from a business.

An officer located the vehicle at Haven Street and Queen Avenue in Hillyard and initiated a traffic stop at about 9:15 p.m. That’s when the suspects fled south in the vehicle , police said.

Three minutes later, a police sergeant was involved in a collision with the suspect vehicle near Greene Street and Mission Avenue. The sergeant was transported to the hospital with “moderate injuries,” the police news release said. He has since been released, police spokesman Cpl. Nick Briggs said.

Pfeiffer, who police said is a four-time convicted felon, was wanted on multiple warrants from Kootenai County. She was arrested on suspicion of second-degree theft, vehicular assault, accident hit-and-run with injury and attempt to elude, police said.

Brown, who police said is an eight-time convicted felon, had a Department of Corrections warrant for failing to comply with the terms of his release. Brown was arrested on suspicion of second-degree theft, police said.