Spike strips stop high-speed chase, eventually

Fleeing suspects in an Ephrata burglary literally drove the tires off their car after Grand Coulee police put down spike strips to deflate the tires Friday night.

Grand Coulee police deployed the spike strips at the north edge of Coulee Dam about 11:30 p.m., to stop the speeding car coming into the area from Omak with Omak police in pursuit.

The vehicle had been going up to 90 mph through the Colville Indian Reservation and police reports stated it later traveled some 50 mph through Grand Coulee and Electric City.

The silver 2005 Toyota lost one tire near Riley Point, the overlook near the top of Grand Coulee Dam.

A second set of spike strips was laid out near milepost 6, south of Electric City, by officer Sean Cook.

Officer Gary Moore pursued the vehicle all the way to Big Wally’s in Coulee City, and by the time the vehicle reached that point, it had lost all four tires and was running on its rims.

Police stated the car turned off on a dusty dirt road near Big Wally’s. As the rough, dusty conditions slowed their pursuers, the occupants ran from the stopped car into the night.

Okanogan County deputies using a dog were finally able to locate a 13-year-old girl. Two others in the car were not immediately apprehended.

The police report stated that occupants of the car were suspects in a burglary that had occurred earlier in Ephrata.