UPDATE: Suspect Who Shot at Pursuing Deputy Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder 2nd Degree – Sentenced to 32 Years in Prison
On September 20, 2017, during a vehicle pursuit, suspect Mark C. Perry slammed on his brakes in an effort to lure Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputy Stan Kravtsov closer. Perry shot at Deputy Kravtsov through the rear window of his vehicle in an attempt to murder Deputy Kravtsov. Thankfully, Perry missed and Deputy Kravtsov was able to continue the pursuit from a distance. Perry later crashed and fled on foot.
By the end of the night, with the assistance of fellow Deputies, Spokane City Police Officers, and Washington State Patrol Troopers, Perry was taken into custody.
Safe Streets Task Force Detective Ron Miya (recently promoted to Sergeant) and Investigative Task Force (ITF) Detective Mark Smoldt were assigned to continue this investigation. During the investigation, search warrants were requested and granted, where evidence needed for a successful prosecution was collected and submitted to the Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory for analysis.
Due to hard work of everyone involved, including Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney Cipolla, on July 2, 2018, Mark C, Perry plead guilty to Attempted Murder 2nd Degree and was sentenced to 32 years in prison.
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Original Press Release on September 20, 2017:
Fleeing Felon Shoots at Deputy During Pursuit
Early this morning, 45 year-old Mark C. Perry attempted to flee after Spokane County Deputy Stan Kravtsov tried to conduct a traffic stop just after 1:00 a.m. in the area of 1st and Market in Mead. During the pursuit, Perry fired a handgun at Deputy Kravtsov and later fled on foot. Perry was taken into custody after he was located by deputies and Sheriff’s Office K9 Enzo.
This morning, September 20, 2017, just after 1:00 a.m., Deputy Kravtsov observed a black Lexus in the area of the 10000 block of N. Market and conducted a check of the vehicle’s license plate. He learned the registered owner, Perry, had an active felon warrant. He activated his emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop to contact the driver, later identified as Perry, and confirm his identity.
Perry immediately accelerated and began to flee, reaching speeds of 70-75 mph. In the 13300 block of N. Market, Deputy Kravtsov heard at least two gunshots and observed debris flying from the rear window of the Lexus.
Believing Perry was desperate to escape and was attempting to kill him, Deputy Kravtsov slowed down and continued to pursue from a distance. Perry crashed his vehicle at the intersection of Day Mt. Spokane Rd. and Freya and fled on foot. When assisting deputies arrived, a perimeter was established and the vehicle was cleared. Deputies observed a cocked and loaded 9mm semi-auto pistol, a wallet containing Perry’s ID and a baggie containing a white crystal-like substance (Methamphetamine) in the front seat area.
Several K9 announcements were made advising Perry a K9 would be used to find him and to surrender as Deputy Phil Pfeifer and his K9 partner Enzo began a track through an extremely thick brushy and wooded area. A short time later, Deputy Garza, who was deployed as a perimeter unit, advised he observed Perry hiding in some brush in the 3100 block of E. Meadowcreek Ln. The team tracking Perry responded and took Perry into custody without incident.
Perry admitted he was armed with another handgun when he ran from the vehicle. He could hear deputies moving through the heavy brush looking for him and he decided to drop the handgun in a creek bottom as he tried to avoid capture.
Due to the close proximity to Meadow Ridge Elementary School deputies were determined to locate this discarded pistol. Deputy J.P. Melton and his partner K9 Chloe who is trained in explosives detection were called to the scene to search for the weapon, which they located (loaded .357 revolver) in the area Perry described.
Perry, a convicted felon (Robbery, Unlawful Possession of Firearm and others), was transported and booked into the Spokane County Jail for Attempted Murder 2nd Degree, Attempting to Elude a Law Enforcement Vehicle, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm 1st Degree (2 counts), Possession of a Controlled Substance-Methamphetamine and a felony Washington State Department of Corrections warrant.
We would like to thank the Spokane Police Department and Washington State Patrol for their assistance during this extremely dangerous situation and helping us ensure our community’s safety as this violent convicted felon was located and arrested.
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