On May 21st, around 2:30am, a Key Peninsula deputy was behind a vehicle driving very slowly, and braking along the 14000 block of the Key Peninsula Hwy. When a traffic stop was attempted, the vehicle pulled into the oncoming lane. Things take a turn when the driver gets out and attempts to secure his hood before jumping back into the driver’s seat to flee. Shortly after the vehicle takes off, the hood pops up, covering the windshield. The suspect continues to flee, even though his view is obstructed.
Several dangerous maneuvers are made by the fleeing driver. There are no vehicles on the road, so the deputy decides to find a safe spot to use a PIT maneuver (Pursuit Intervention Technique) to disable the vehicle. Speeds stay below 50 mph as the driver’s view is blocked and he avoids the deputy’s attempts to pull beside him.
The suspect vehicle is in bad shape after hitting spikes thrown by Kitsap County deputies. The smoke from the tires and engine obstructs the view of the mirrors and allows the deputy to quickly move in for a PIT. The vehicle is finally disabled on Bethel Burley Rd and Cashmere Rd, and the 32-year-old driver, and sole occupant, is peacefully taken into custody. He was booked into the Pierce County Jail for eluding, driving on a suspended 2nd degree license, and for a felony Department of Corrections Escape Community Custody warrant. This is an ongoing investigation.