Police Department

Convicted felon eludes arrest, crashes into building, and is arrested with a firearm for the 3rd time this year

Ofc. Teresa Fuller, 509.835.4568

Tuesday, December 3, 2013 at 8:30 a.m.

Incident #: 13-404353

A traffic stop for reckless driving led to the arrest of a convicted felon, 27 year old Michael C. Painter, for Attempting to Elude Police Officers, two counts Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in the first degree, and Possession of a Stolen Firearm. This is the third time Painter has been arrested for unlawfully possession of a firearm this year.

At about 7:30 p.m. last night, Corporal Shane Oien spotted a reckless driver and attempted to catch up to the vehicle in the area of Ruby and Jackson. When Cpl. Oien activated his emergency lights, the vehicle pulled into a parking lot and appeared to be stopping. Suddenly, the vehicle accelerated out of the parking lot and turned south onto Division. The vehicle drove up and over the west sidewalk to avoid traffic and then through the intersection against the red light. The suspect vehicle struck a westbound vehicle and the force of the impact threw the suspect vehicle into the Army Surplus store.

The driver was removed and arrested, but refused to identify himself. He was later identified as 27-year-old Michael C. Painter, who is under supervisionby the Department of Corrections as a violent offender and convicted felon.

As an officer looked in the glove compartment for documents to process the crash scene, he saw the grip of a handgun. The vehicle was seized for evidence and a search warrant was later executed on the vehicle. A total of two firearms were found and one of them had been reported as stolen. Painter was booked for the four felony charges.

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