Suspect too fast for his shoes, but not the police

POST FALLS — A stolen vehicle and chase suspect ran out of his shoes — literally — during a pursuit on Saturday night.

A short time later, Austin R. Kelly, 21, Post Falls, was arrested inside the Walmart on Mullan Avenue after he was about to try on another pair.

"Citizens pointed to where he was inside the store," Post Falls Police Capt. Greg McLean said. "He was going to try on shoes and, when he tried to run again, officers had to wrestle him to the floor after he resisted."

Kelly was booked into the Kootenai County jail on charges of grand theft, eluding a police officer, possession of a controlled substance and resisting/obstructing. His criminal history includes arrests for battery, petit theft, malicious injury to property, fugitive from justice and obstructing.

The passenger — Kayley J. White, 22, Coeur d'Alene, who jumped out of the stolen 2005 Nissan Titan during the pursuit on Cecil Road near Walmart — was arrested for possession of a controlled substance.

A camera system that reads the license plates of stolen vehicles and notifies dispatchers identified the stolen vehicle westbound on Interstate 90 from Coeur d'Alene at 8:40 p.m.

A Post Falls officer found the vehicle on Highway 41. When the officer attempted to pull Kelly over, Kelly allegedly sped off on the roads behind Wendy's, reaching a speed of 60 mph and blowing through multiple stop signs, according to police.

After White exited the vehicle, Kelly pulled into the Walmart parking lot and jumped out while the vehicle was still moving. White, who was not injured, was arrested without incident.

"The Titan crashed into another vehicle in the parking lot," McLean said, adding the damage to a 2009 GMC Sierra pickup was estimated to be $3,000.

Before losing sight of the suspect, the officer in pursuit noticed Kelly ran out of his shoes. People inside the store pointed the officer to Kelly, who was in the shoe department.

"At the last shoe aisle, I made contact with a male in a black shirt, holding a pair of shoes," the report states. "As I contacted him, he turned and attempted to run in the other direction."

Kelly allegedly resisted being arrested and attempted to flee before being tripped by an officer. He was detained by two officers.

The Titan, valued at $15,000, was reported stolen in Coeur d'Alene on March 27.