Stolen Vehicle Located within Minutes, Suspects Arrested after Fleeing
Sunday morning, Spokane Valley Deputies located a stolen vehicle within minutes of the theft. A short pursuit was terminated for safety due to driver’s extremely reckless behavior. The driver and passenger were located and arrested after they dumped the vehicle and fled on foot. A loaded firearm was discovered in a backpack belonging to the suspects.
On August 26, 2018, at approximately 9:00 a.m., Spokane Valley Deputies responded to the report of a work truck which was just stolen from the parking lot of Terrace View Park.
Traveling east on Saltese in their marked patrol car, Deputy Jesse Depriest and Deputy Ben Stolz observed a white truck matching the description of the stolen vehicle turn west on Saltese from Vercler. As the male driver, later identified as 23-year-old Anthony M. Gesik, turned north on Collins, the company logo on the driver’s door, work tools in the bed of the truck, and a female passenger, later identified as Kelsie R. McKerrow, were observed.
When the Deputies activated their emergency lights and siren, Gesik accelerated and began to flee east on 16th Avenue. With little or no vehicle traffic in the area, Deputies pursued Gesik who failed to stop or slow at stop signs along 16th Avenue. Gesik turned north on Sullivan and began to drive into oncoming lanes of traffic near 14th Avenue causing the Deputies to decide to terminate the pursuit for the safety concerns. Gesik, despite no one pursing him, continued to drive north in the southbound lanes causing several vehicles to swerve to avoid a collision. Gesik ran the red light and turned west on 4th, almost colliding with another vehicle.
Although the Deputies lost sight of the stolen truck, it was not observed continuing west on 4th Avenue. Believing the suspects stopped somewhere close, multiple patrol cars flooded the area and began looking for the vehicle.
In the 15300 block of 4th Avenue, Deputy Jessica Baken observed Gesik and McKerrow standing in a yard, and she turned around to contact them. She contacted Gesik who was putting items into a backpack but McKerrow had removed her sweatshirt and threw it to the ground before fleeing on foot. Gesik followed commands and was quickly detained.
Additional Deputies arrived in the area to assist in the search for McKerrow. Deputy Baken began calling McKerrow by name, advising her a K9 was on the way and she needed to surrender. As Deputy Baken, assisted by Deputy Jeff Conway, made another announcement outside the doors of a barn, McKerrow replied stating she was giving up and was quickly detained without incident.
During a search, a .380 Bryco semi auto pistol was located in the backpack. The pistol’s magazine had several loaded rounds but a round was not chambered.
Gesik was transported and booked into the Spokane County Jail for Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle, Attempting to Elude a Police Vehicle, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.
McKerrow was transported and booked into the Spokane County Jail for Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, and a misdemeanor warrant.