Dixon found; Bowles arrested

SPOKANE VALLEY–Spokane County deputies and other law-enforcement personnel located and apprehended the missing 15-year-old Lewiston, Idaho, juvenile female, Lillian R. Dixon, and arrested alleged kidnapper Jonathan Wayne Bowles, 36, Tuesday evening. December 7, 2021. He was booked into the Spokane County Jail.

Out of the incident in Spokane Valley, Bowles, a noncompliant registered sex offender, was charged with attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle, third-degree assault, possession of a stolen vehicle, resisting arrest, first-degree kidnapping and obstructing an officer. He was arraigned in Spokane County Superior Court December 8, 2021. The judge imposed a sexual assault order of protection for the victim and her family. He is presently being held on a $1,000,000 bond and faces possible extradition to Idaho for other charges related to Dixon's disappearance.

In addition, Bowles has multiple felony warrants for alleged child molestation for prior incidents in Garfield County, records show.

An Amber Alert went out Monday, December 6 after Dixon was found to be missing from school December 3. She allegedly left with Bowles who, according to court records, had been sexually abusing her since March, 2021. According to his 15-year-old victim Dixon, Bowles allegedly traveled with her to Oregon, back to Idaho, and into Washington over the next few days.

Bowles was spotted in Starbuck, Wash., early Monday, then, according to his victim, allegedly hitched a ride to Pomeroy, Wash., where he allegedly stole a maroon Chevy Trailblazer, which was reported stolen from Pomeroy Monday night.

The vehicle was spotted in Spokane Valley, traveling northbound from Sprague Avenue on Pines Street, at approximately 5:55 p.m. Tuesday, December 7. According to records and Spokane County Sheriff's Office, law enforcement observed the vehicle near Trent Avenue and Pines Street with persons matching the descriptions of the Amber Alert.

Local law enforcement pursued the vehicle which was being driven at a high-rate speed and in a reckless manner, almost coming to a stop due to heavy traffic, but instead, crossed a median into eastbound lanes at Argonne Street. Law enforcement lost sight of the vehicle at Knox Avenue.

The vehicle was abandoned on north Ely Road, south of Indiana Avenue and they were again spotted minutes later walking south on Center Road from Mission Avenue, then observed taking a left onto Maxwell Avenue by Spokane Valley Patrol Sgt. Justin Palmer.

Bowles was recognized as a person of interest and ordered to place his hands on a fence nearby and asked to identify himself. The suspect responded by saying his name was Connor, then took off running across the street. Because he was resisting arrest, Palmer used pepper spray, and according to records, Bowles then punched him twice before the officer put him to the ground, but Bowles still continued to fight. When other deputies arrived, Bowles was then fully subdued, taken into custody and provided with medical treatment before being transported to the Spokane County Jail.

Dixon was taken into protective custody, medically checked, fed and later reunited with her family.