Man who fled police wearing handcuffs gets 90 days in jail

A Vancouver man was sentenced Wednesday to 90 days in jail for eluding police mid-arrest June 5, fleeing with one wrist still handcuffed and then taking a nap in a stranger’s La Center home.

Shane S. Chandra pleaded guilty to escape from community custody in exchange for reduced charges. He had faced charges of second-degree escape, second-degree burglary and first-degree trespass.

Chandra’s misadventure with police and random north county residents began early June 5 when a resident called 911 to report a man sleeping in a vehicle at the end of the resident’s driveway in La Center.

A Clark County sheriff’s deputy responded at 8 a.m. to the home at 1010 N.E. 299th St. and learned Chandra, 18, had a felony warrant out for his arrest on suspicion of possession of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and opium.

While the deputy fastened a handcuff on Chandra’s wrist,

Chandra pushed away and wiggled out of the deputy’s grip. He fled with one wrist still handcuffed.

Chandra ran barefoot into a wooded area south of the East Fork of the Lewis River, abandoning his slip-on sandals and his car.

Deputies, including a K-9 unit, searched the area until 2 p.m., when the agency suspended the search.

Around 6:15 p.m., a man at another residence on Northeast 299th Street encountered a scene reminiscent of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” Chandra was found sleeping in the resident’s bed. The man shooed Chandra out of the home by pointing a gun at him, then summoned police.

Police arrested Chandra, who was still sporting the handcuff from earlier.