SPOKANE COUNTY, WA — A man driving a stolen vehicle was arrested early Saturday morning after reportedly trying to provoke a Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputy into a pursuit, authorities said.

According to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy was traveling north on Freya Street around 3:10 a.m. on July 5 when a vehicle rapidly approached from behind, flashing its high beams and following closely. The deputy pulled over and activated his emergency lights. As the vehicle passed, the deputy checked its license plate and learned the Pontiac had been reported stolen the night before, around 9:30 p.m.

The driver, later identified as 40-year-old Louis Mendez III, did not pull over and instead began driving erratically—drifting between lanes, making circular motions with his arm out the window, and slowing well below the speed limit.

In an attempt to avoid a high-speed chase, the deputy initially deactivated his lights. However, Mendez continued driving dangerously, prompting deputies to formulate a plan to stop him safely.

The pursuit led to E. Day Mt. Spokane Road, where Mendez continued to disregard emergency lights. At one point, he entered a parking lot and began making erratic turns before re-entering the roadway. A sergeant deployed spike strips that deflated the vehicle’s tires, and a short time later, a deputy performed a PIT maneuver. The vehicle collided with a set of mailboxes and came to a stop.

Mendez was taken into custody without further incident. He refused to identify himself at the scene but was later confirmed to be Louis Mendez III. Authorities also discovered he had been reported missing on July 4 after walking away from an adult family home in Spokane Valley.

Mendez was medically cleared and booked into the Spokane County Jail for attempting to elude law enforcement, possession of a stolen vehicle, and failure to identify to law enforcement. His bond was set at $2,500 by Spokane County Superior Court Judge D. Chuang.