A man accused of fleeing from police in Centralia both in a stolen vehicle and on foot in July 2023, crashing into a patrol vehicle and an RV, jumping into the Skookumchuck River, going through someone’s backyard on the other side of the river and trying to get a ride from a delivery truck driver, is now facing felony charges in Lewis County Superior Court.
Austin Le Inman, 28, of Grapeview, was charged May 10 with one count each of first-degree malicious mischief, attempted second-degree assault, hit-and-run to an attended vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle, first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle after investigators identified him from videos and photos of the July 28, 2023, incident.
Centralia officers had received a Flock safety camera system notification of a stolen white Cadillac within Centralia city limits at approximately 12:16 p.m. on July 28, according to court documents. Officers searched the area and found the stolen Cadillac parked in front of one of the outlet stores. When officers found the vehicle, a man, who was later identified as Inman, was sitting in the driver’s seat. Inman allegedly spotted a second officer at the scene and drove the Cadillac into the driver’s side of one of the Centralia patrol vehicles, which was ultimately taken out of service for a week for repairs, according to court documents.
“The officers attempted to box in the Cadillac but the driver was able to get around their vehicles,” court documents state. “The Cadillac was then driven into the intersection of High Street and Harrison Avenue, running a red light and slamming into the side of a large RV.”
Inman then allegedly jumped out of the Cadillac and ran behind a nearby fast food business while officers pursued. One officer “was almost able to detain the suspect prior to him jumping over a fence,” but he “was able to get away” and fled toward the Skookumchuck River, according to court documents.
Officers conducted a K-9 search and were unable to locate the suspect “after an extensive search,” but did find a red Tacoma hat that he was reportedly seen wearing during the chase.
A search of the Cadillac yielded a cellphone, a 9mm handgun, drug paraphernalia and items that were reported stolen during a burglary in Olympia, according to court documents. A search of the phone revealed it belonged to someone named “Austin,” according to court documents.
A short time later, a citizen who lived across the Skookumchuck and slightly north of where the suspect disappeared reported “a male was in their backyard and appeared to have come from the river,” according to court documents.
Another citizen in the same neighborhood reported seeing the man talking to a mail delivery driver. When questioned, the delivery driver provided officers with video footage of his contact with Inman, which showed him walk across a front yard in the neighborhood. Another video showed the same man approach the driver and ask him for a ride, according to court documents.
“You can clearly see the male suspect whom officers identified as the male that was driving the Cadillac,” charging documents state of the man seen in the videos.
During the investigation, Centralia officers were contacted by an officer with the Olympia Police Department who was investigating the Cadillac theft and an associated burglary in Olympia. That officer reportedly had video from a theft at a business where one of the burglary suspects, who he identified as Inman, allegedly used the victims’ stolen debit and credit cards. A Centralia officer compared the video from the business theft and the July 29 incident and “identified one of the males, Austin Inman, as the male who was driving the Cadillac.”
Inman was transferred to the Lewis County Jail from the Clallam Bay Correctional Facility, where he was serving a sentence for an unrelated offense, at 8:05 a.m. on May 24, according to jail records.
He had his preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court on Wednesday, May 29, and arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, June 6.
Bail was set at $5,000 to keep him in custody in Lewis County. Should Inman post that bail, he would be transferred back to Clallam Bay Correctional Facility.
