Quincy man sentenced for drunken high-speed chase
EPHRATA — A Quincy man was sentenced for leading a Washington State Patrol trooper on a high-speed chase at speeds in excess of 100 mph while intoxicated.
James Escure, 27, of Quincy, entered an Alford plea in Grant County Superior Court to attempting to elude on Tuesday. In an Alford plea the defendant is not pleading guilty to a crime, but believes they would be found guilty if the case were to proceed to trial. Grant County Superior Court Judge John Antosz followed a joint recommendation between Deputy Prosecutor Kevin McCrae and defense attorney Holly Pederson and sentenced Escure to three months in jail. McCrae explained that Escure will be entering a guilty plea in Grant County District Court to DUI in connection with the case. The DUI charge will carry with it a three-month term of confinement, which will run consecutive to the attempting to elude sentence and bring Escure’s total term of confinement to six months.
In late August the WSP was made aware of an intoxicated driver, Escure, who had driven into a ditch on state Route 28, near Batterman Road, in Douglas County. A witness reported seeing Escure throw a beer can out of the vehicle at the Rock Island Shell Station, according to police records.
A WSP trooper spotted a vehicle that matched the description of the suspect vehicle, a Chevrolet Suburban, in an orchard off SR-28. The trooper drove past the Suburban and did not observe any other vehicles on the road, so he doubled back to contact the Suburban. The trooper reported that as he was traveling back, the Suburban drove past him at more than 100 mph. The trooper initiated a pursuit and Escure turned into a Department of Transportation sandpit and stopped behind a building.
“I instructed the driver, who was now at gunpoint, to throw the keys out and then exit the vehicle. The driver failed to obey my commands and put the keys back into the vehicle’s ignition,” wrote the trooper. “The driver started the vehicle and then drove around my patrol vehicle as he fled back onto SR-28 eastbound.”
The trooper overtook the Suburban at the SR-28/White Trail Road intersection, but Escure moved into the right turn lane and jammed his brakes in an attempt to get the trooper to rear-end him. The trooper was able to avoid colliding with the Suburban and Escure drove off the road.
Escure continued driving for about 100 yards through an orchard, until he merged back onto White Trail Road. The trooper executed a PIT maneuver on the Suburban, which causes a fleeing vehicle to turn sideways. The suspect vehicle crashed into a ditch and the trooper held Escure at gunpoint, instructing him to turn off the vehicle.
Ignoring commands, Escure lit a cigarette and drove off heading south on White Trail Road. He turned onto Road Seven Northeast, eventually turning onto Road R Northeast and stopping at a residence in the 8600 block. He got out of the vehicle and barricaded himself inside the house. He later exited the house and started walking toward the trooper.
“I instructed Escure to stop and get down on the ground, but he responded that I would need to shoot him. I transitioned to my Taser and advised Escure to stop or he would be tased. Escure continued to walk toward me and did not follow my instructions,” wrote the trooper. “Based on Escure’s actions, I deployed my Taser. The probes struck Escure in the upper chest and at waist level.”
The trooper was forced to tase Escure a second time after he didn’t get onto the ground. Escure then gave in, complied and was taken into custody.
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