Early on July 22 at 1:50 a.m., a deputy attempted to stop a vehicle with no license plates near 72nd St. E and 9th Ave. Ct. E in unincorporated Tacoma. Instead of stopping, the driver sped away, leading deputies on a pursuit. Suspecting the vehicle was stolen, deputies continued following the suspect.
The pursuit ended in the 7100 block of Roosevelt Ave. when the driver bailed out of the still-moving vehicle, losing a shoe along the way, and fled on foot, jumping multiple fences and running through neighborhood backyards in an attempt to escape.
K9 Clark and his handler responded after deputies confirmed the vehicle had freshly been stolen just hours earlier. Clark quickly picked up the suspect’s scent and tracked through several backyards, showing clear indications he was closing in. The track ended when Clark located the suspect hiding inside an enclosed trailer in the backyard of a nearby residence.
The 19-year-old suspect was evaluated by fire personnel for injuries sustained during the apprehension before being booked into the Pierce County Jail on charges including:
• Felony Eluding
• Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle
• Driving with a Suspended License
• Resisting Arrest
• Obstructing a Law Enforcement Officer
• Unlawfully Making and Possessing Motor Vehicle Theft Tools
Great work by the deputies and K9 Clark for safely bringing this pursuit to a successful conclusion.