Slow-Moving South Thurston County Pursuit Ends in Arrest

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A man was arrested in South Thurston County over the weekend after leading law enforcement officials on a slow-moving chase that ended with a pursuit intervention technique (PIT maneuver) being used to end the ordeal.

A sheriff’s office deputy attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic infraction when the driver failed to yield, according to the sheriff’s office. The deputy came to believe the driver was intoxicated based on their driving behavior.

“Deputies followed the vehicle with their lights and siren activated,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “Deputies were able to place spike strips in an attempt to get the vehicle to stop. The two front tires of the vehicle were deflated and the suspect continued to drive.”

A PIT maneuver was ultimately used to stop the vehicle.



The man — who was not identified by the sheriff’s office — was arrested and booked into the Thurston County Jail for his fourth DUI charge, third-degree driving while license suspended and failure to obey a police officer. Speeds during the incident ranged from 9 to 30 mph, according to the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office thanked the Chehalis Tribal Police Department and the Tenino Police Department for their assistance.

“This is a great example of some of the training and tools the deputies are taught to utilize in different situations,” the sheriff’s office wrote.

While the sheriff’s office reported the pursuit happened Sunday night, Thurston County Scanner, News & Weather Blog reported the pursuit occurred early Sunday morning and late Saturday night. The blog reported the pursuit began on 183rd Avenue in Rochester and ended in the 6200 block of U.S. Highway 12.