Pursuit Safely Ended with PIT Maneuver
K9 Bane Locates 2 of 3 Occupants after They Flee on Foot
Spokane Valley Deputies quickly and safely ended a pursuit using a PIT maneuver. The three occupants of the vehicle ignored commands to stop and fled on foot. K9 Bane located the two passengers who were arrested and booked into jail. A stolen firearm and Methamphetamine were recovered later in the morning. The driver’s identity is believed to be known and his location sought as SVIU Detectives continue to investigate.
On January 16, 2019, at approximately 12:30 a.m., two Spokane Valley Deputies in a fully marked patrol car noticed a red Hyundai traveling north on Progress in the middle of the roadway as it approached Sprague.
Deputy Stephan Blaakman activated his emergency lights and soon after, his siren to conduct a traffic stop on Progress near Valley Way. The driver failed to stop and immediately began to increase speed as Deputy Joseph Wallace began checking the vehicle’s history on a mobile data computer. Deputy Wallace noticed 26-year-old Gunnar M. Doughty had been contacted several times in the vehicle. A check of Doughty’s name revealed a possible warrant for his arrest and he showed to be armed with a pistol in the past. Deputy Wallace notified dispatch of the pursuit, initiating the assistance of several additional patrol units. The driver continued his attempt to evade the Deputies, ignoring the stop sign at Broadway. He began to recklessly swerve across the entire roadway and ignored another stop sign as he turned west on Mission.
As the vehicle approached the intersection of Mission and Burns, it began to slow. Believing the driver, who had already demonstrated a complete lack of regard for the safety of the public, the occupants of the vehicle and the Deputies involved, intended to turn south on Burns into a residential area, the Deputies decided to attempt a PIT maneuver to safely end the pursuit. With the intersection completely clear of vehicle and pedestrian traffic, Deputy Blaakman began to move his patrol car into position. As he did, the driver looked over his shoulder at the patrol car and suddenly swerved into it, causing the suspect vehicle to spin before stopping.
Deputy Blaakman stopped the patrol car and both Deputies drew their weapons as they exited their vehicle and began to give commands while all three occupants jumped out of the suspect vehicle, ignored the Deputies’ commands and fled on foot in multiple directions.
Assisting Deputies including K9 Units quickly set up a perimeter and began giving multiple K9 announcements advising the suspects to surrender or a K9 would be used to locate them and they might be bitten.
With probable cause to arrest all three occupants and not knowing if they were armed, Deputy Clay Hilton and his partner K9 Bane began a track in the direction where two of the suspects fled. K9 Bane alerted on a black slipper on Burns and continued to track south before turning east where he tracked along the south wall of a residence, alerting on a second black slipper. K9 Bane continued to lead Deputies to the east where he alerted on a white tennis shoe. K9 Bane immediately jumped a 4’ chain-link fence in the 1200 block of N. Burns.
In the backyard, K9 Bane’s behavior changed. Seeing this, Deputy Hilton gave two additional and loud K9 announcements. With no response, K9 Bane began to track again. While attempting to clear under the porch, K9 Bane ran up onto the porch and around a refrigerator where he made contact with a female who was attempting to hide. The female, later identified as 27-year-old Alyssa L. Pakootas, was taken into custody and provided medical attention before being transported and booked into the Spokane County Jail.
After Pakootas was secured, Deputy Hilton gave several more K9 announcements before continuing the search. K9 Bane tracked along the fence line and showed a change of behavior along the north fence. Deputy Hilton repositioned K9 Bane to the white tennis shoe he had located earlier. K9 Bane worked southbound on Burns and appeared to lose the track. After repositioning again, K9 Bane immediately placed his nose to the ground, tracking north toward another fence line and east on Mission. Deputy Hilton gave additional K9 announcements which went unanswered.
Searching in the backyard of a residence located in the 14900 block of E. Mission, Deputy Hilton noted a change in K9 Bane’s behavior. K9 Bane jumped off a stoop into a 2’ opening between the stoop and the fence where he alerted on another white tennis shoe. K9 Bane ran around the stoop to the other side and around a BBQ. Deputy Hilton shined his flashlight to illuminate the area by the BBQ in addition to the porch light and didn’t observe anyone hiding. K9 Bane moved forward, sticking his head between the BBQ shelf and the wall, making contact with a male who was attempting to hide. The male, later identified as 26-year-old Gunnar M. Doughty, was taken into custody and provided medical attention.
Air 1 and an additional K9 attempted to locate the driver but were unsuccessful.
Doughty was determined to be the front passenger of the vehicle. He later told Deputy Hilton he heard the K9 announcements and saw Air 1 overhead but he continued to hide because he didn’t want to go back to jail and he just wanted to see his children.
Pakootas, determined to be the backseat passenger, later told Deputy Hilton she didn’t hear the K9 announcement but she did see Air 1 overhead. She did observe K9 Bane searching the area and heard Deputy Hilton working with him before K9 Bane located her.
The vehicle was seized pending a search warrant. The vehicle did not show as a reported stolen but attempts to determine the owner were unsuccessful. A pistol believed to have been discarded by Doughty as he ran was later determined to be stolen. Methamphetamine along with several additional items believed to be stolen were located inside the vehicle.
Spokane Valley Investigative Unit Detectives continue to work to identify the owners and potential victims of the property. Detectives believe they know the identity of the driver and they continue to locate him.
Pakootas was booked into jail for Obstructing and Resisting Arrest and an additional charge of Possession of Methamphetamine is expected. Doughty was booked into jail for Obstructing, Resisting Arrest and a Theft warrant. An additional charge of Possession of a Stolen Firearm is expected.
The driver faces potential charges of Attempting to Elude a Police Vehicle, Obstructing and Resisting Arrest.
This is an active and ongoing investigation, additional charges are possible.
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Deputy Mark Gregory
Spokane County Sheriff’s Office
Spokane Valley Police Department
Public Information Officer