SPOKANE VALLEY, WA — An Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) alert helped deputies locate and arrest a 36-year-old man wanted on 17 felony child sexual assault charges Wednesday morning.

According to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, Spokane Regional Emergency Communications (SREC) notified deputies at approximately 10:40 a.m. on Feb. 18 of an ALPR alert tied to a vehicle registered to a suspect wanted in connection with multiple felony child sexual assault charges.

Deputies also received information indicating the suspect, identified as Charles J. Werneth III, had former military training and had previously made statements about forcing law enforcement to shoot him, raising safety concerns.

A Spokane Valley deputy located the vehicle within seconds as it was traveling south on Sullivan Road from East Sprague Avenue. Multiple Spokane Valley and Spokane County deputies responded and contacted the suspect after he stopped in a parking lot in the 15300 block of East Sprague.

Authorities said Werneth initially complied with commands and informed deputies he was armed with a pistol. He later became argumentative and made statements of self-harm, prompting a standoff.

Crisis negotiators, behavioral health units and additional deputies responded to assist. Law enforcement established a perimeter in the area to protect bystanders.

At approximately 11:30 a.m., deputies were able to de-escalate the situation and safely take Werneth into custody. A loaded pistol was recovered from his front waistband area, according to the sheriff’s office.

Werneth was transported to the Spokane County Jail, where he was booked on 17 felony child sexual assault charges stemming from an ongoing investigation by the agency’s Sexual Assault Unit.

The charges remain allegations, and Werneth is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.