Sgt. Terry Preuninger, PIO
Friday, December 11, 2020 at 4:33 p.m.
A convicted felon is charged with numerous felonies again, after his involvement in a third and separate crime in less than two months. The charges he is facing include but are not limited to; multiple felony malicious mischief charges, multiple felony assault charges, assault on a police officer, theft of a motor vehicle, eluding a police officer, obstructing a police officer, and more.
Eighteen year old Anthony P Statton had his first adult arrests and contacts with law enforcement in March of this year. He was charged with assault and listed as a suspect in multiple crimes. Below are the descriptions of three different incidents taking place in the last two months involving Statton.
On December 6th the Spokane Regional Auto Theft Task Force (SRATTF) charged Statton with crimes from an incident that occurred on November 29th, when while out on bond, Statton committed crimes including stealing a car and driving in excess of 130 MPH in Spokane on city streets while eluding law enforcement. The incident began when a WSP trooper clocked him on radar at 100 mph in a 30 MPH zone which led to the pursuit. Statton stole the car while the victim was at work and was responsible for doing thousands of dollars of damage to it.
See previous WSP Press release from December 8th of this year with more details, it is not attached to this press release.
Earlier this week an SPD Detective with the downtown precinct developed probable cause to charge Statton with Malicious Mischief regarding an incident in Riverfront Park where two male suspects caused extensive damage to eight Christmas Trees, see affidavit filed on December 10th. This incident occurred on November 29th, when a Spokane Park Ranger called crime check to report the damage which was captured on video surveillance and had occurred around 3 AM that morning. The trees had been sponsored by various organizations for the Holiday Tree Walk in the Park and had only been up for three days before this incident occurred. Five of the trees were physically thrown off of the Howard Street Bridge and into the Spokane River by the suspects. The monetary damage resulting from this incident was $2075.93 dollars.
With the help of the Park Rangers and the video from Riverfront Park, as well as Detectives from the Auto Theft Task Force, the SPD Detective was able to develop probable cause to charge two suspects with this crime. Anthony P. Statton was booked into the Spokane County Jail along with a juvenile male who was booked into Juvenile on charges of 2nd Degree Malicious Mischief.
See SPD #2020-20207150
On October 19th of this year Statton was one of the three suspects that threw rocks at construction workers, striking one of the workers in the head and causing what were initially described by medical personnel as life threatening injuries. When caught by police Statton assaulted officers and was booked into jail for Assault 1st degree, Assault 2nd degree, Assault 3rd degree, Malicious Mischief 2nd degree, Obstructing a Law Enforcement Officer and Resisting Arrest.
See original press release from that incident below.
*****Previous SPD press release involving Statton*****
A group of males assault construction workers in Kendall Yards sending one victim to the hospital with a head injury.
On October 19, 2020, around 2:22 p.m., officers were sent to the area of 1100 W. Summit Parkway to an initial report of a fight. Construction workers observed three males knocking over Lime scooters so they began to record the activity their phones. The trio threatened to shoot the workers, threw large rocks at them and damaged property.
One construction worker was struck on the back of the head by a soft ball sized rock, which was thrown from a distance of about six feet. A medic described the injury as possibly life threatening. He was transported to an area hospital. The victim’s condition was eventually upgraded to stable.
A delivery truck on scene, picking up equipment, had both side windows broken out.
The group of males ran from the area and crossed the Monroe Street Bridge.
A Spokane Police Officer caught up to the group near Main Avenue and Monroe Street. He gave them orders to stop and tried to contact them.
One of the subjects, 18-year-old Anthony P. Statton, ran from the officer. A foot chase occurred along several blocks downtown ending up near 900 W. Sprague Avenue. The officer took Statton into custody. While searching him, incident to arrest, Statton stomped on the officer’s foot then kicked the officer’s legs. Statton continued to try and kick other officers and flail his upper body in an attempt to assault them.
Statton was taken to the ground and placed in leg restraints to stop his assaultive behavior and prevent future assaults against law enforcement officers. Statton was transported to the Spokane County Jail and booked for Assault 1st degree, Assault 2nd degree, Assault 3rd degree, Malicious Mischief 2nd degree, Obstructing a Law Enforcement Officer and Resisting Arrest.
Statton is a convicted felon and his most recent conviction is Malicious Mischief 2nd degree (2 counts).
The two other males involved in the assault have not been located yet. If you have any information that may help investigators locate the other two males involved in this incident please call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233 and reference #2020-20184065.
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Julie Humphreys
509.622.5868
jhumphreys@spokanepolice.org