Man rams stolen vehicle into McDonald’s, Washington officials say. He’s been arrested

A man has been arrested after he was accused of stealing a car and ramming it into a McDonald’s in Washington.

On Oct. 1, deputies responded after reports of a “stolen vehicle located in the parking lot of a McDonald’s on Havana St.,” according to a news release by the Spokane Valley Police Department.

The car, a Toyota Corolla, had been reported stolen on Sept. 29, and the victim later called the police to alert them she had found it parked in the McDonald’s lot with a man inside, officials said.

Three deputies arrived and found the car, positioning their patrol cars with emergency lights on to block the suspect from potentially escaping.

The 35-year-old man then “backed over the curb, ramming into the wall” of the McDonald’s, according to the news release.

After he realized he wouldn’t be able to flee in the car, the man got out of the vehicle and started running away, officials said. A deputy chased him, tackling him to the ground after hitting a wooden fence.

A McDonald’s employee estimated the damages will cost around $10,000 to $15,000 to fix, according to the release.

The suspect was booked into the Spokane County Jail on charges of “possession of a stolen vehicle, hit and run, property damage and obstructing law enforcement,” police said. His bond was set at $4,000.

The man had previously been arrested in August after police said he was found sleeping in the driver’s seat of a car that had been reported stolen.

Spokane is in eastern Washington near the Idaho border.

This story was originally published October 4, 2022 at 1:57 PM with the headline "Man rams stolen vehicle into McDonald’s, Washington officials say. He’s been arrested."