Successful vehicle pursuit crosses borders
Begins in Royal City, ends near Othello
COLUMBIA BASIN - Three law enforcement agencies engaged in a high speed vehicle pursuit involving the use of spike strips.
The vehicle pursuit spanned from Royal City to Adams County Wednesday afternoon.
The incident began in Adams County where a domestic violence call was reported a few minutes after noon on Danielson Road. The involved suspect was believed to be headed toward Royal City, Royal City Police Chief Darin Smith said. Police were given a description of the 1989 Dodge Dynasty the suspect was traveling in and began scouting the city for the vehicle.
An officer quickly located the vehicle and pulled in behind the suspect vehicle containing two people on Apple Avenue.
Before the officer had a chance to turn on his lights and sirens, the vehicle began to flee at a high rate of speed, Smith said.
The officer and the chief reportedly pursued the vehicle toward Road 12, eastbound to Adams County near Othello, he said.
Speeds ranged from 40 mph to 90 mph and lasted approximately 25 to 30 miles, Smith said. At one point the chief considered calling the pursuit off due to bad road conditions but kept going due to several clear areas in the roadway and because it appeared the suspects had nowhere to travel except toward Othello, he said. Smith said there was nowhere else for the suspect vehicle to go.
The Adams County Sheriff's Office and the Othello Police Department were gearing up for the expected arrival of the suspect vehicle, he said.
During the pursuit the suspect vehicle lost control and nearly collided with another vehicle, Smith said.
A sheriff's office deputy placed a strip of spikes across McManomon Road to slow the suspect vehicle, Adams County Sheriff Doug Barger said.
The first spike strip wasn't too successful, he said. One spike from the strip stuck to a rear tire of the suspect vehicle.
Othello Police Chief Steve Dunnagan placed a second strip of spikes across the roadway about two miles further down McManomon Road within Othello city limits.
The vehicle reportedly ran over the strip, successfully puncturing the front tires, Dunnagan said. Ten spikes stuck in the tires.
The vehicle reportedly appeared to travel in the direction of Dunnagan's patrol car while losing control due to poor weather conditions, Dunnagan said. The suspect vehicle seemed to regain control and reportedly changed directions out of the path leading to the patrol vehicle, he said.
The vehicle continued traveling for approximately one quarter mile after driving over the second spike strip, Barger said.
The driver, Allam F. Galindo, 18, Moses Lake, was arrested for felony eluding, driving with a suspended license, possession of marijuana under 40 grams and a juvenile warrant, Smith said.
The Royal City Police Department took custody of Galindo because the vehicle pursuit began in Royal City, he added.
A 17-year-old male who was a passenger in the vehicle was taken into custody by the Adams County Sheriff's Office because the domestic violence call reportedly involving the suspect originated within the county, Barger said.
He said the juvenile was arrested for assault in the fourth degree-domestic violence after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend prior to the vehicle pursuit.
More charges are expected because the vehicle is believed to be stolen, Barger said.
Smith said it's unclear if the juvenile was attempting to flee the vehicle or surrender to law enforcement when it came to a stop after driving over the second set of spikes.
He said the juvenile male reportedly exited the vehicle and either attempted to flee the scene but slipped and fell in the snow or he was surrendering by laying down in a pile of snow and slush.
Dunnagan said the spike strips proved to be a useful tool during the incident. As the suspect vehicle was approaching the city, the spike strips prevented the vehicle from entering high pedestrian and vehicle traffic areas.
"It's fortunate that no one was injured," he said.