Stalking call turns into police chase through Chief Garry Park with suspect’s toddler in vehicle

Spokane County sheriff’s deputies arrested a convicted felon who is accused of threatening his ex-girlfriend and her husband with a pistol before leading deputies on a chase with his 2-year-old son in the car, according to a release from the sheriff’s office.

Keith L. Williams, 41, was booked into the Spokane County Jail on Tuesday on charges of second-degree assault, attempting to elude a police vehicle and reckless endangerment.

Deputies initially responded to a potential stalking call on the 2900 block of North Cherry Lane, where the victim said her ex-boyfriend, Williams, had been stalking her and their young daughter. The victim said she has custody of their daughter, and Williams had been watching them for weeks.

The woman and her husband could see Williams in a vehicle in a parking lot and decided to confront him, the sheriff’s office release said. They told deputies that Williams pointed a handgun at them and demanded to see his daughter, the sheriff’s office said.

Williams eventually left, and the victims contacted authorities.

Deputies arrived at Williams’ residence on the 1600 block of East Sharp Avenue when they saw a vehicle that they believed to be driven by Williams. Deputies relocated Williams’ vehicle at Regal Street and Mission Avenue as it began to accelerate north on Regal, the sheriff’s office said.

With deputies in pursuit, Williams attempted to turn south on Fiske Street, lost control of his vehicle, hit a power pole and spun before running through the Chief Garry Park neighborhood, the sheriff’s office said.

With the assistance of a Spokane police K-9 unit, deputies set up a perimeter in the area and began searching for Williams.

He was located on the southeast side of Green Street and Mission Avenue, running toward the railroad tracks, and appeared tired, the sheriff’s office said. He complied with a deputy’s commands and was taken into custody.

Deputies found a handgun in his vehicle. Williams, a four-time convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Williams admitted he went to his ex-girlfriend’s home to talk about their daughter, but said he had been receiving threats from her that he would never see her again, and that she and her husband beat on his car and threatened him, the sheriff’s office said. Williams admitted to fleeing from deputies, but said he did not know his son was still in the car, the sheriff’s office said.

After obtaining a search warrant on Wednesday, deputies discovered what they believed to be fentanyl in his vehicle.

Williams remains in the Spokane County Jail on a $25,000 bond.