DEER PARK, Wash. -- A 44-year-old man from Deer Park is accused of stealing the patrol car of a Spokane Co. Sheriff's deputy during a domestic violence call late Sunday afternoon. Investigators say the man drove the car around town for nearly 20 minutes, before abandoning it with a flat tire.

William Gearhart will likely face charges of first degree theft, malicious mischief and resisting arrest. Deputies arrested Gearhart a few miles from his home along Highway 395.

Investigators tell KREM 2 News a deputy responded to Gearhart's home after a report of a family fight. When the deputy arrived, he tried to use pepper spray to control Gearhart. However, Gearhart got away and jumped into the deputy's car.

Here is the report from the Spokane Co. Sheriff's Office:

Deer Park Man Arrested After Patrol Car Theft

    A 44-year-old Deer Park man faces a laundry list of criminal charges after he stole a deputy’s patrol car during a domestic violence investigation Sunday evening.

    Deputy Brett Hubbell was dispatched to an address on the 100 block of “D” Street in Deer Park about 4:45 p.m. Sunday.  A William H. Gearhart, 44, was reportedly breaking up items in the yard there.

    Hubbell arrived at the home before his backup and contacted Gearhart.  He learned the suspect had a felony arrest warrant out of Spokane and attempted to place him into custody.  The deputy went “code 6,” which typically means he is in a physical fight or a fight is imminent.

    Hubbell reportedly tried to use pepper spray on the suspect to control him, but was himself contaminated with the spray.  Gearhart reportedly stole Hubbell’s white and green patrol car and was last seen driving westbound on “A” Street in Deer Park.

    Hubbell’s backup deputy picked him up and they and numerous other Spokane County and Stevens County deputies, as well as Washington State Patrol troopers, began looking for the stolen patrol car.

   They found the car abandoned at 5410 W. Burroughs Road.  It had a tire blown from the suspect’s bad driving, rather than from a deliberate attempt to flatten it.  Both the shotgun and law enforcement carbine were still inside the vehicle.

    Deputies set up containment and a sheriff’s K-9 team began a track from a point on Highway 395 where a citizen reported seeing the suspect running across the roadway.

    Not long after the track was started, the K-9 located Gearhart at 29600 N. Highway 395 and forcibly detained the suspect. 

    Sheriff’s Shift Commander Lt. Earl Howerton said Sunday night that details surrounding the events at the home where the domestic violence was reported were still unclear and under investigation.

    He said that Gearhart faced probable First Degree Theft, First Degree Malicious Mischief and Obstructing or Resisting Arrest charges.

    The sheriff’s patrol car was in Gearhart’s hands 20 minutes.