EVERSON - An Everson man has been sentenced to 13 months in prison for a domestic assault case that was stalled when he jumped bail and eluded police in a high-speed chase.
Visente Levi Jon Galvez-Cruz, 19, beat his girlfriend until she "saw stars" on Nov. 3, 2011 - splitting her lip, pulling her hair, bruising her arms, bloodying her nose and leaving her in a T-shirt "soaking" with blood, according to charging documents.
The couple had a no-contact order in place but met up that day anyway. Galvez-Cruz was arrested and later posted $20,000 bond.
On May 21, an officer in Everson recognized Galvez-Cruz, who was wanted for skipping his court date, as he drove a white Dodge pickup through town. The pickup yielded to the patrol car's lights and sirens, but when the officer got out of the car, it raced off again.
A 70 mph pursuit ensued along South Pass Road, with Galvez-Cruz driving into oncoming lanes and eventually abandoning the pickup, according to court records. Officers didn't catch him.
Two days later, he was named as a suspect in a drive-by shooting in Skagit County.
Deputies found Galvez-Cruz a day after the drive-by, hiding in a dryer.
He was convicted in September of assault in violation of a no-contact order, bail jumping and reckless driving.
The Skagit drive-by case is ongoing.
Reach CALEB HUTTON at caleb.hutton@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2276.
