Police Department

Car Crashes into the Fox Theater

Sgt. Terry Preuninger, PIO

Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 12:43 p.m.

This morning a car narrowly missed a pedestrian and crashed into the FOX Theater downtown after running red lights, and traveling at speeds of 60 – 70 miles per hour.

Spokane Police Officers have taken Jesse Johnson, 4-22-88 into custody after they responded to the 1000 block of West Sprague Ave.  Multiple witnesses called in to report a car had just crashed into the Fox Theater and the driver was running from the scene of the collision.  As witnesses continued to call in police flooded the area and were able to locate the driver and took him into custody. 

According to witnesses the car had been recklessly driving downtown at speeds of 60 to 70 mph and was running red lights. Prior to hitting the theater the driver crashed into a solar powered garbage can that will cost $7000 to repair. 

A Spokane Police Officer who is also a “Drug Recognition Expert” (DRE) responded and evaluated Johnson, who was transported to a local hospital and is currently under Investigation for multiple crimes related to the collision and potential impairment.   Johnson has also been placed under arrest for a Governor’s warrant which was issued in Washington on April 16^th, for charges related to an investigation out of Mariposa County CA for Burglary and theft of Gold.

SPD has collected video evidence of the incident and the investigation is still ongoing.   

Johnson has had contact with the police before, when in 2012 SPD responded to a report of a man shooting a shotgun near Mission and Napa.  In that incident Johnson was shot by a police officer and survived his wounds. 

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