Spokane: Police Arrest Man Driving Stolen Construction Equipment
Washingtoner/10237951

~ On the morning of 11/03/23, Spokane Police Department (SPD) officers responded to a call at the 4400 block of East Trent on a trespass call. Upon arriving at the scene, officers encountered Matthew W. Cook (40) in a fenced outdoor area of the machinery business, where large equipment was stored. Despite police directives to exit, Cook had climbed up into an estimated 17,000 pound rubber tracked crawler and put it into gear. He then drove over the fence and proceeded to drive along railroad property.

Additional SPD officers arrived on scene, including one with knowledge of large machinery who noticed that the crawler did not have a lockable throttle. This meant that if Cook's hand came off the joystick, the crawler would stop. Fearing further harm to property or people due to the weight of the vehicle and Cook's non-compliance, an officer jumped onto the moving crawler and pulled his hand off of the joystick, bringing it to a stop.

More on Washingtoner

• Neighbors' Barbershop Launches New Online Haircut Appointment System for Wedgewood & View Ridge Res
• U.N. Committee Reiterates Forced Psychiatric Detention a Human Rights Violation; CCHR Calls on the U.S. to Implement Protections
• Spokane Community Urged to Prepare for Inclement Weather
• Tacoma City Council Receives Positive Streets Initiative Update
• Valgar LLC Launches The Briefing Room: Education Leaders

Cook was arrested for 2nd Degree Burglary, Theft of a Motor Vehicle, and Felony Malicious Mischief and booked into Spokane County Jail. Julie Humphreys, Public Safety Communication Manager for SPD stated that officers responded within 3 minutes of receiving the call and were able to successfully apprehend Cook without any injuries or further damage being done. Video footage of this incident can be found at https://vimeo.com/881049129?share=copy along with related photos 1 & 2.

---

Show All News | Disclaimer | Report Violation