SPOKANE, Wash. — A 33-year-old woman was arrested Friday afternoon for stealing a car with a dog inside and crashing it on I-90 in East Central Spokane.
Spokane police said Marie Henning, 33, was taken into custody after pushing a woman out of her mother’s car, then crashing it on I-90 just west of the Altamont on-ramp with the victim’s dog still in the vehicle.
Spokane police received a call about a carjacking in the 3500 block of East Ben Burr Boulevard just before 3:30 p.m. Officials said Henning opened the driver’s door, pushed the victim out and fled with the car and the dog.
An officer was in the area checking for the stolen car when he saw there was a crash on westbound I-90 near the Altamont on-ramp involving a car that looked like the victim’s.
Officials said citizens were key in helping resolve the incident. Spokane police officials said witnesses reported seeing Henning get on I-90 at a high rate of speed and she barely missed crashing into a large truck. Then, police said she ran into two other vehicles before crashing into the barriers in the center of the freeway.
Authorities said the crash disabled the victim’s car, but the victim’s terrified dog fled onto the freeway. Police said one of the crash victims was able to grab the dog and kept her in her car until police came and got her.
Officials said Henning was corralled by three witnesses on I-90 until officers arrived on scene to take her into custody.
None of the victims were injured. The dog was safely returned to her owner.
Henning was booked into jail for first degree robbery, theft of a motor vehicle and she will be charged with reckless driving for the crash. She is expected be in court on Monday at 1:30 p.m.
