SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — A Spokane County Sheriff's Office Deputy was almost hit after trying to help stop a high speed car chase Friday on Interstate 90 near the Spokane Valley Mall.
Video footage shows Deputy Skye Ortiz laying down spike strips on the freeway. The suspect's white pick-up races onto the screen, swerves around the deputies vehicle and nearly collides with him. Deputy Ortiz jumped into the car's open trunk to escape being hit by the pick-up.
"Definitely just wanted to get to a safer location and get a little bit between me and him," Deputy Ortiz said. "Only thing I had at the time was the trunk."
SCSO Deputy Mark Gregory identified the suspect as Jorel Fultz. This is the same man who faced assault charges after an altercation with a member of the television show "Deadliest Catch."
Police presence at Wellesley and Appleway @KREM2 pic.twitter.com/cVzZkYlOlU
— Alexa Block (@KREMAlexa) August 5, 2017
Officials said the car chase initially started on Sprague Avenue and Argonne Road when police were trying to arrest the suspect for felony firearm charges. The chase eventually ended on West Wellesley Avenue and East Appleway Avenue near the Idaho stateline. Spokane Valley Police, Spokane County Sheriff's Office and Kootenai County Sheriff's Office were all involved. Police said they had to use a K-9 to apprehend the suspect after he ran away from his car.
#K9 Gunnar make' n the capture! No one hurt, dangerous suspect off our streets & going to jail! Nice job Deputies & Officers #LivePD pic.twitter.com/ms0cS3M7vB
— SpokaneSheriffOffice (@SpokaneSheriff) August 5, 2017
The suspect did need medical attention and was transported to a nearby hospital. Authorities said the suspect had a passenger in the vehicle who was still on scene. No serious injuries have been reported at this time.
In an interview with the man who took the video, Dustin Sims, said he started filming because the officer stopped traffic and he thought the truck may have clipped the officer as he jumped away.
"I honestly thought that he might have hit him," Sims said. "Because of the way he jumped."