Suspect’s Attempt to Hide Foiled by K9 Bane
Spokane Valley Deputies, assisted by Deputy Hilton and his partner K9 Bane, located a suspect who attempted to hide after he fled on foot and in a vehicle.
On September 21, 2019, just prior to 2:00 a.m., Spokane Valley Deputy Sam Turner observed a red Ford Mustang turn north on Argonne from Broadway. Deputy Turner, who had just cleared a traffic stop, noticed the driver of the Mustang, later identified as 27-year-old Timothy W. Forslund, fail to stop at the traffic light before turning.
Deputy Turner checked the vehicle’s license plate on his mobile data computer, learned the car was registered, and the registered owner was not wanted. With this information and his shift at an end, Deputy Turner decided not to stop the vehicle.
However, as he approached Mission, Forslund accelerated rapidly to an extremely high rate of speed. Observing Forslund’s aggressive and reckless actions, Deputy Turner activated his emergency lights/siren and advised dispatch he was in pursuit of a reckless driver.
Forslund almost lost control due to his high rate of speed while attempting to navigate the s-turn on the north side of I-90. Forslund tried to turn west on Knox and lost control causing the Mustang to spin 180 degrees in the middle of Knox. Deputy Turner pulled his fully marked patrol car, with his lights activated, up to the front of the Mustang to prevent Forslund from driving forward.
Defiant, Forslund chose to continue his attempt to evade the Deputy and put the Mustang in reverse, backing over the curb, sidewalk and a berm. The Mustang became high centered, but Forslund wasn’t willing to give up. Deputy Turner pulled up to the car to block Forslund’s forward escape. He drew his weapon to a low ready position and ordered Forslund and the female passenger to put their hands up. The female passenger immediately complied, but Forslund ignored the commands, opened the driver’s door, and fled on foot.
Deputy Turner ran after Forslund ordering him to stop and yelling that Forslund was under arrest, all of which were ignored. Deputy Turner lost sight of Forslund after he rounded the corner of a house, and fled into the darkness of the backyard.
Assisting Deputies arrived in the area and quickly established a perimeter.
With probable cause to charge Forslund with attempting to elude a law enforcement vehicle, reckless driving and additional charges, Deputy Hilton and K9 Bane arrived to assist.
Not knowing if Forslund was armed or what his intentions were, Deputy Hilton deployed K9 Bane as perimeter units used their PA systems to warn Forslund to surrender and that a K9 would be used to track him and if found, the K9 may bite him.
K9 Bane began his track and led Deputies to 2000 block of N. Marguerite. He began to pull harder as he went through a gate which led to the backyard of a residence. Deputy Hilton gave additional K9 warnings advising Forslund to surrender as did the perimeter units but Forslund did not show himself. K9 Bane tracked into a carport, around a parked vehicle, through a pile of brush/yard waste and into a small opening between some privacy bushes and the parked car where he made contact with Forslund.
Forslund followed commands to show his hands and was taken into custody without further incident.
Forslund was provided medical treatment prior to being transported to the Spokane County Jail.
When asked for his name, Forslund provided the information and uttered he had warrants for his arrest, and that’s why he ran.
A check of Forslund’s name revealed he is a convicted felon and he indeed had a felony Washington State Department of Corrections Escape Community Custody warrant for his arrest. Also, his driver’s license was suspended 3rd degree.
The adult female passenger said she just met Forslund at a friend’s house and asked him for a ride. She saw the marked patrol car without its emergency lights on traveling behind Forslund. She said Forslund suddenly accelerated at an extremely high rate of speed. She said she told and screamed at Forslund to stop, but he ignored her. She was in fear for her life due to his reckless actions. Deputies at the scene determined she was a victim of Forslund and she was released.
When Deputies retrieved personal items for the female passenger from the trunk of the vehicle, they observed what appeared to be a handgun and bag containing what they believed was a controlled substance. The car was seized pending a search warrant.
Forslund was booked into jail for Attempting to Elude a Police Vehicle, Unlawful Imprisonment, Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangerment, Resisting Arrest, and Driving While Suspended. He was also booked on the felony Washington State Department of Corrections Escape Community Custody warrant.
Additional charges are possible pending the outcome of the search warrant and continued investigation.
