On June 9, at 5:33 am, deputies were dispatched to an armed robbery that had just occurred at a convenience store in the 15200 block of Meridian E in South Hill. The employee reported that three black males robbed him at gunpoint and then fled southbound in a newer, white Kia Soul.
A deputy spotted the vehicle headed southbound at 224th St E and Meridian E and followed it. He initiated a traffic stop but the vehicle fled. Since armed robbery is a pursuable offense, the deputy chased after the suspects. The pursuit continued southbound on Meridian (SR-161) and into Eatonville, where deputies lost sight of the vehicle due to the curves.
Several minutes later, a deputy located the vehicle in Eatonville and the driver backed into his patrol car. Deputies deployed stop sticks, which the suspects’ vehicle it, and the pursuit resumed northbound on SR-161.
The suspects crashed at Orville Rd E, just south of Ohop Lake, and they fled on foot.
One suspect, a 16-year-old male, was quickly located and arrested. A K9 track was initiated to locate the other two suspects.
The K9 tracked the suspects across a creek and through several residential properties. One of the residents told deputies that a suspect was in her yard and asked her to call his mom because police were chasing him.
Deputies continued searching the area and located articles of clothing that the suspects wore during the robbery.
At 8:18 am, the K9 located the suspects, a 16-year-old male and a 15-year-old female, in a residential area near 414th St Ct E and 120th Ave Ct E. According to neighbors, they had been asking for a ride out of the area. They had taken off most of their clothes and were soaking wet. Deputies requested medical aid due to concerns of hypothermia.
The K9 conducted an evidence track and located the suspects’ wet clothes.
All three juvenile suspects were booked into Remann Hall.
Upon further investigation, we learned that a fourth suspect fled from the vehicle after it crashed. He was spotted walking along the road near SR-161 and Ohop Creek Dr N. Eatonville officers detained him, and a witness positively identified him as one of the suspects. He was arrested and, since he is 18, he was booked into the Pierce County Jail.
During the few minutes that deputies lost sight of the suspects in Eatonville, they attempted to steal a Kia. The car’s rear window was smashed and the ignition had significant damage.
The Prosecutor’s Office charged all four suspects. The18-year-old male was charged with robbery in the first degree, and bail was set at $150,000. Two 16-year-old males and one 15-year-old female were charged with robbery in the first degree, taking a motor vehicle without permission, and obstructing. They were all ordered to be held in secure detention.