Spokane Valley Sheriff's deputies report a man was booked into jail on an assault charge for threatening deputies with a baseball bat Sunday morning near the intersection of Pines and Sprague.
Spokane Valley deputies were called to the intersection after a citizen reported a suspicious man who was carrying a baseball bat, pacing back and forth, and walking in and out of the road. When a deputy tried to talk with the man, he moved toward the deputy and raised the bat as if he planned to swing it at him, but then he turned and ran.
The call came in around 8:30 a.m. The man, later identified as 58-year-old Kevin R. Alexander, moved toward Deputy Tim Jones. Jones told Alexander several times to stop, but he did not. Eventually Alexander turned and ran toward the south side of Sprague and the occupied businesses, still armed with the bat.
In the alleyway behind the businesses, Deputy Jones lost sight of Alexander and additional deputies were called to search for him.
When located, Alexander continued to ignore commands and ran through carports, and backyards, jumping fences along the way. He was eventually confronted by Deputy Schaum and Deputy Melton in the yard of a residence in the 400 block of S. Houk.
With backup still arriving, Alexander stopped running toward the deputies, but still had the bat in his hand. He did not drop the bat and tried to run again, but Deputy Schaum grabbed his arm before he could make it to a fence and took him to the ground.
Deputies struggled on the ground with Alexander but were eventually able to arrest him.
Alexander was provided medical attention and booked into the Spokane County Jail for 3rd degree assault.
(story & image: KHQ.com)