Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested a 28-year-old Everett man about 10 a.m. Thursday morning in Burien after he stole a truck from a Lynnwood fencing company, hit numerous occupied vehicles — including six in Edmonds alone — and led deputies on a pursuit, which ended after the man intentionally rammed a deputy’s patrol vehicle.
No one was injured in any of the occupied vehicle crashes, authorities said.
According to Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Courtney O’Keefe, the incident began just after 9 a.m. when deputies responded to reports of a vehicle theft on 48th Avenue West in Lynnwood. Approximately 10 minutes later, additional callers reported three hit-and-run collisions involving occupied vehicles, O’Keefe said. Deputies located the suspect vehicle on Highway 99 and witnessed the suspect hit a fourth occupied vehicle in the 21100 block in Edmonds, then flee.
The suspect soon ended up in downtown Edmonds, where he struck a total of five vehicles, at one point losing a load of fencing on 3rd Avenue South near Alder Street, Edmonds police spokesperson Sgt. Josh McClure said. At no point did Edmonds police pursue the vehicle, but instead were responding to the collisions caused by the suspect, McClure said,
The suspect then drove the stolen truck north on 3rd Avenue, turning onto Caspers, then following Puget Drive up the hill to 196th Street Southwest. The vehicle was spotted on 196th Street by a Snohomish County Sheriff’s deputy, who began a pursuit, McClure said.
According to O’Keefe, deputies attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle on Highway 99 at 236th Street Southwest, but the suspect accelerated and took off. A sheriff’s office pursuit was initiated and continued southbound on Highway 99 through Shoreline. The suspect vehicle continued driving recklessly, nearly hitting a vehicle head on and driving at speeds of approximately 60 MPH, at which time deputies terminated the pursuit, O’Keefe said.
Additional units observed the suspect vehicle begin to slow down; however the suspect continued driving southbound on Highway 99 through several red-light intersections. The suspect vehicle lost a tire in the 11800 block of Highway 99 in Seattle and continued driving. Deputies maintained visual contact of the vehicle through Northgate and responding units drove ahead to deploy spike strips. The suspect continued to lose tire debris as he continued driving southbound around Green Lake.
The suspect avoided spike strips at West Marginal Way in South Seattle, but a second set of spike strips near the South 128th Street exit on southbound 509 were successful. Moments later, the suspect intentionally swerved the stolen truck and rammed a deputy’s patrol vehicle parked on the side of the highway. The 28-year-old Everett man was taken into custody at the scene of the crash.
The man is expected to be booked into jail for possession of a stolen vehicle, eluding, vehicular assault, and several counts of occupied hit and run. He is also being processed for suspicion of DUI, O’Keefe said.
— By Teresa Wippel
Good Lord!!
Yes right in front of the condo on third in Edmonds Woman and toddler in car smashed against power pole. Car totaled. Fortunately they appear unhurt.
The driver of the car smashed against the pole is so grateful for the many neighbors who came out and immediately offered support and comfort. As a member of her family I am grateful, as well, knowing that caring people surrounded her when we could not be there. She is shaken up, as can be expected, but not hurt as far as she could tell. She will be sore for awhile. Her toddler is unhurt, as well. Thank you, Edmonds neighbors, for caring for a stranger in time of need.
We were traveling along Woodway Park Road on our way to Edmonds when this maniac appeared on a side road and pulled out in front of us, narrowing missing our car. Weaving and speeding, he disappeared around a bend in the road. When we arrived at 3rd Ave., we saw the accident there. So glad he was caught and so sorry for those who were his victims. But for a few seconds, we could have been victims, too.
I as impressed that here in town people emerged from everywhere. It looked like there were at least a dozen people calling 911. The police officer was quick on the scene, and brought a sense of calm as he quickly assessed the situation. Not long after the fire department showed up with a truck and an ambulance and calmly started to engage. An older women helped calm down the little kid in the back seat, who stopped crying and seemed to calm down a little. Others came an offered help. What it felt like was suddenly in that moment the Edmonds community coalesced to help with this potential tragedy. In that moment there were no Republicans or Democrats, there was only Edmonds caring for its own.