Escaped inmate caught after six-hour search in Deer Park

Spokane County sheriff’s deputies caught an escaped inmate after a six-hour search Monday morning in Deer Park.

Deputies captured Juan A. Cruz-Grijalva in the 400 block of East Meadowmere Way, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

The 24-year-old was serving time for a first-degree robbery conviction at the Olympic Corrections Center in Forks, Washington, the Sheriff’s Office said. For the past week, he had been working in a portable kitchen at Deer Park High School, where firefighters are conducting training exercises.

Cruz-Grijalva escaped at about 2:30 a.m. and an “alert citizen” spotted him at about 8:40 a.m., the Sheriff’s Office said. Deputies hadn’t been able to find him using police dogs and a helicopter.

Deputy Jeff Rogers caught up to Cruz-Grijalva as he ran onto a porch and tried to enter a residence.

“Realizing he was caught, Cruz-Grijalva followed commands and surrendered,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

Cruz-Grijalva was transferred to the Airway Heights Corrections Center Recovery Team. He faces a charge of escaping custody.