A coordinated effort between the Centralia Police Department, the Washington State Patrol and the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office resulted in the arrest of a King County vehicular homicide suspect at the Interstate 5 Maytown Rest Area early Monday morning.
The suspect allegedly crashed a stolen Ram pickup into a Jeep at the border street between the City of SeaTac and the City of Burien shortly after King County Sheriff’s Office deputies located the vehicle at approximately 11:32 a.m. on Feb. 25, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.
Deputies had decided not to initiate a vehicle pursuit after the driver of the stolen vehicle, who deputies were planning to contact, drove off at a high rate of speed.
The driver of the stolen pickup reportedly fled the scene of the crash on foot, leaving the stolen pickup behind.
The occupants of the Jeep had significant injuries and were immediately attended to by deputies and medical personnel, but the male driver was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the King County Sheriff’s Office.
“His family has been notified and has been offered all available support. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office will release additional details about this individual per their protocols,” the sheriff’s office stated in a news release Monday morning.
A small child was also in the Jeep at the time of the collision. The child was transported to Harborview Medical Center where medical attention is ongoing, according to the King County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies searched for the suspect, identified as “a white or Hispanic male around 5’ 09” … tall and something under 200 lbs,” on Sunday, but were unable to locate him.
Washington State Patrol troopers from Thurston and Lewis counties were given the description and license plate of the white Toyota Corolla driven the suspect reportedly started driving after he fled the scene of the crash on foot, according to the sheriff’s office.
Just before 5 a.m. on Monday, the Washington State Patrol advised King County deputies that troopers were tracking the suspect in Thurston County along Interstate 5 in Tumwater.
A Lewis County-based trooper ultimately located the suspect’s Corolla parked in the southbound I-5 Maytown Rest Area, with the suspect inside sleeping.
In a coordinated effort, a Centralia Police Department K9 unit, Washington State Patrol troopers and Thurston County Sheriff’s Office deputies took the suspect into custody without incident.
King County Sheriff’s Office detectives later arrived on the scene and took custody of the suspect, who has since been booked into King County Jail for vehicular homicide, according to the sheriff’s office.
King County Sheriff’s Office detectives later arrived on the scene and took custody of the suspect and later booked into King County Jail for vehicular homicide.
The Washington state Department of Transportation briefly shut down the rest area during the incident.
“The King County Sheriff’s Office is thankful for the coordinated effort and for the strong partnerships amongst all our LE Partners around the state including The Washington State Patrol, Thurston County Sheriff, and Centralia, WA Police Department,” the sheriff’s office stated in a news release.
“The King County Sheriff’s Office is proud of the hard work of our detectives in tracking this suspect which ultimately led to him being taken into custody.”
Law enforcement did not release the suspect’s name Monday morning.
