#1 Stabbing/Robbery/Pursuit
On November 23rd, around 3:30pm, multiple witnesses reported a male had stabbed an employee at the Winco Foods in Puyallup after shoplifting and was getting into a U-Haul truck and leaving the scene. Deputies quickly arrived in the area and were able to spot the U-Haul truck as it left the Winco parking lot. The U-Haul truck initially stops, and the male is seen pushing a female driver and her dog out of the car. The male then takes off driving by himself, and a pursuit begins. While deputies are in pursuit, another deputy arrives with the stabbing victim at Winco and notices a large gash on the victim and calls Fire priority. While the victim was getting medical attention, the other deputies were still pursuing the suspect in the U-Haul. There was probable cause for his arrest for felony assault in the first degree, robbery, and eluding. Deputies knew the suspect was dangerous and needed to be stopped. As the U-Haul turned recklessly around the corner at Waller and 133rd St. E, it was unable to negotiate the turn and went head-on into a vehicle. Deputies were able to pull the suspect from the U-Haul and take him into custody. The two adult occupants of the other vehicle that was hit head-on were ok and evaluated on scene by Fire with no major injuries. The male suspect complained of neck injury after the collision, and Fire transported the suspect to the hospital, where a deputy remained with him until he could be cleared and booked into jail. The 40-year-old male was eventually booked into the Pierce County Jail for robbery, assault in the 1st degree, and eluding.
#2 Dirt Biker Falls Down Cliff
On November 21st, around 12:40 p.m., a call came in that a dirt biker had fallen down a cliffside in a remote area of Wilkeson, near Mt. Rainier. Buckley Fire and our Search and Rescue team had to assemble a high-angle ropes rescue and were eventually able to rescue the 33-year-old male victim, who was in serious condition. The victim was airlifted to a local hospital. It was later learned that the victim had walked to the edge of a cliff to take a scenic photo when the ground collapsed underneath him.