SPOKANE, WA – A 37-year-old man is in custody after Spokane County Sheriff’s deputies used a PIT maneuver to stop a stolen vehicle late Saturday night following a pursuit monitored by the agency’s Air 1 helicopter.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the incident began on September 13, 2025, around 9:30 p.m. when deputies were alerted to stolen license plates through an Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system near North Regal Street and East Magnesium Road. A check revealed the plates had been taken earlier that day from a black 2007 Hyundai in Spokane and swapped with plates from a 2011 Hyundai reported stolen in Moses Lake on September 4.
Air 1 located the stolen vehicle near Francis Avenue and North Smith Street. Deputies attempted a traffic stop, but the driver, identified as Jose C. Nunez, fled at speeds of 45–55 mph, ignoring stop signs and traffic laws. A female passenger in the vehicle told deputies she repeatedly asked to be let out but was refused, making her a victim of false imprisonment.
Deputies twice attempted PIT maneuvers before successfully forcing the vehicle to spin out on North Market Street. The car rolled backward into an SUV, though the occupants of that vehicle were not injured. Nunez surrendered and was taken into custody without further incident.
During questioning, Nunez admitted he fled because he knew he had an outstanding warrant and compared his actions to a video game he once played, calling the pursuit one of the “top five most fun moments” of his life. Deputies said the female passenger cooperated fully and was released without charges.
Nunez was booked into the Spokane County Jail on charges of attempting to elude a police vehicle, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, unlawful imprisonment, and possession of stolen property, along with a misdemeanor warrant for driving while suspended. His bond was set at $50,500 during his first court appearance.
The Air 1 flight crew included pilot Sam Pierce, Detective C. Ruff, and Deputy C. Garza of the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
