VIDEO: Reported Reckless Driver, Found to be a 13-Year-Old Runaway Driving a Stolen Vehicle

VIDEO: Reported Reckless Driver, Found to be a 13-Year-Old Runaway Driving a Stolen Vehicle

Spokane Valley and Spokane County Deputies, assisted by Air 1, located a recklessly driven vehicle, reported by a concerned motorist. Air 1 found the truck on Bradway Avenue west of I-90 and guided responding Deputies to its location. The driver continued east on Broadway before attempting to navigate the eastbound on-ramp to I-90, where he slammed into a retaining barrier. Deputies and a responding Washington State Patrol Trooper converged on the area and successfully took the 13-year-old juvenile driver into custody. They learned the juvenile was a reported runaway and that the truck he was driving was stolen. The juvenile suspect was booked into the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center.

On July 10, 2025, at approximately 9:15 pm, Spokane Valley and Spokane County Deputies responded to a reported reckless driver in the area of E. Broadway Avenue and I-90. The caller stated he observed a white truck that was swerving all over the road, and it appeared to be driven by a child.

Air 1, already flying a regularly scheduled flight, quickly located the truck traveling east in the 6500 block of Broadway Avenue.

The juvenile driver continued east and attempted to enter eastbound I-90 but crashed into the outside retaining barrier. With the vehicle damaged, the juvenile pulled over to the shoulder of the freeway.

As Deputies and a WSP Trooper arrived and cut off avenues of escape, the juvenile turned into the grass (gore area) and attempted to drive to the westbound Broadway Avenue I-90 on-ramp, but got the truck stuck.
Deputies safely took the juvenile into custody.

Through the subsequent investigation, Deputies learned the 13-year-old juvenile male had been reported as a runaway earlier in the evening at approximately 7:40 pm.

They learned the truck was registered to a business and contacted the fleet manager, who explained that the vehicle was stolen from a fenced lot in the 11400 block of E. Montgomery, sometime within the last 24 hours. The manager confirmed that neither the juvenile nor anyone else had permission to be driving the vehicle.

With this information, combined with the wanton and willful disregard for the safety of the public or himself, the juvenile was charged with Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle and Reckless Driving. As the investigation continues, these charges could be upgraded to Theft of a Motor Vehicle and Burglary if probable cause is established.

Thankfully, the dangerous behavior of the juvenile was quickly reported by a concerned motorist. Air 1, already airborne, quickly located the vehicle, which enabled Deputies and Troopers to respond and take this juvenile into custody, preventing serious injury to him or any unsuspecting motorists in the area.
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Air 1 Flight Crew

Pilot: Rob Jones, Volunteer
TFO: K. Walker, Detective, Spokane County Sheriff’s Office
TFO: B. Lynch, Sergeant, Spokane Police Department

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