'Houdini' steals police car

Spree starts in Ritzville, ends in Grant County

MOSES LAKE — A Ritzville man was arrested after stealing a police vehicle and engaging in a car chase Monday night.

James Wesley Martin, 34, was arrested in Ritzville after stealing alcohol from a grocery store, Ritzville Police Chief David McCormick said. The police officer placed Martin in the back of the patrol vehicle after handcuffing him.

McCormick referred to Martin as "Houdini" as he described him slipping the handcuffs from behind his back to his front.

The lone officer was about 15 feet away from the vehicle conducting field interviews with witnesses when the incident occurred, he said.

Martin managed to slip through the open partition in the police car to the driver's seat, he said. The keys were left in the ignition and Martin reportedly turned the vehicle on to drive away.

The officer reportedly made several attempts to break the window to gain access after Martin locked the doors from the inside, the chief reported.

A shotgun and a rifle were located inside the patrol vehicle. He did not gain access because one firearm was in the trunk while the other was in a locked compartment.

When the suspect fled, surrounding law enforcement agencies were notified.

A Moses Lake police officer saw the vehicle pull out of the Sunmart AM/PM parking lot at about 11 p.m. after Martin robbed the business, Police Capt. Jim Jenkins noted.

Martin reportedly took beer from the business while wearing a police hat.

The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, resulting in a car chase on Broadway Avenue, he added. Martin eventually headed west on Interstate 90.

The Grant County Sheriff's Office placed spike strips across the roadway near Adams Road.

The suspect vehicle passed over the strips, becoming disabled.

"The suspect drove on the rims after the tires came off, throwing sparks," Jenkins reported.

The suspect was caught and subdued with a Taser after the vehicle drove off the roadway into nearby soft gravel.

Martin was finally arrested for attempting to elude, possession of stolen property in the first degree, malicious mischief in the first degree, two counts of possession of a stolen firearm, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, robbery in the first degree, criminal impersonation in the second degree, driving under the influence of alcohol and for driving with a suspended license in the third degree. Additional charges are pending from the Ritzville Police Department.

Martin has an extensive criminal history prior to the Monday incident, McCormick said.

"I'm just glad no one was hurt," he added.