SPOKANE, Wash. – A man accused of stealing a car on Monday was identified and arrested on Thursday after failing to flee from Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputies.
The suspect, 29-year-old James O. Dawson reportedly stole the car on Monday, April 8, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
After receiving a report of the stolen car at around 12:50 a.m., the next day, a deputy located the vehicle on E. Upriver Drive.
Dawson did not stop for the deputy when they activated their emergency lights and siren and continued on to N. Argonne Road.
Making an additional attempt to stop Dawson, other deputies tried deploying spike strips at Argonne and Trent but were unsuccessful.
Continuing to drive west on E. Montgomery Ave., Dawson’s stolen car was spotted minutes later in a Motel 6 parking lot at 1919 N. Hutchinson by a Spokane Valley Deputy.
After the deputy discovered that the stolen car was unoccupied, a witness explained that he had reportedly seen Dawson exit the Nissan, run up to him, ask him for a ride and then run toward the motel.
Continued investigation revealed that Dawson, who was wearing a bright yellow shirt and dark pants, had reportedly convinced someone staying at the motel to give him a dark gray sweatshirt. Deputies were also informed that Dawson was possibly at the Maverick gas station on 9009 E. Montgomery.
Upon arriving at the gas station, deputies found a man who matched Dawson’s general description and was wearing a gray sweatshirt standing near the front. The deputies contacted him, observed that he had a bright yellow shirt underneath the sweatshirt and detained him.
After his identity was confirmed and he was advised of his rights, Dawson reportedly asked if deputies could get his phone out of the car, which he later unlocked to prove ownership.
Dawson was arrested and booked into the Spokane County Jail for the following accounts:
Attempting to elude a law enforcement vehicle, theft of a motor vehicle and a Washington State department of corrections felony warrant hold.
Dawson’s bond is set at $10,000 for his charges, excluding the DOC hold.
The stolen vehicle was returned to the registered owner, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department.
