SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane Police Department (SPD) arrested the man who carjacked a woman, then crashed that car into a house and ran from the scene on Thursday.
According to SPD, police arrested 35-year-old Bobby McBride for a first-degree robbery charge and an outstanding warrant on Saturday, Nov. 13.
The incident began around 2:45 p.m. on Thursday when Spokane police received a call from a business in the 2100 block of E Fifth Ave. about McBride refusing to leave the business. Minutes later, McBride stole an unlocked, running vehicle while Irina Stovba was delivering groceries. She suffered minor injuries after McBride dragged her along the roadway. She then tried to pull him out of the car.
Stovba quickly called 911 and was able to give them turn-by-turn directions to catch the suspect. Her phone was still in the car when it was stolen, so she was able to lead police directly to the car.
"My husband is on my phone with me and the officer is standing next to me telling them every corner that he's passing and where he's at," Stovba said.
About 30 minutes after the carjacking, SPD received a call about the same car crashing into another car, then a house on Cannon Street. Police then realized it was the same car from the carjacking. The victim of that crash was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Court documents detail that a neighbor's security camera footage showed McBride got out of the car after the crash and fled the scene on foot. After the crash, officers searched the vehicle and discovered a backpack with several documents that corresponded to McBride.
"It is a good feeling knowing that he is caught because, you know, this could have happened to anybody," Stovba said.
McBride is a nine-time convicted felon and he was released from prison one week before he stole the car, according to court documents. He remains in the Spokane County Jail with a bond set at $100,000.