Yesterday afternoon, deputies with our Special Investigations Unit located and arrested an 18-year-old suspect, who has been charged with murder for the fatal shooting of 19-year-old man during a robbery on Sept. 3 in South Hill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SIU deputies spotted the suspect driving a black Ford Fusion with a stolen plate. They followed him in unmarked vehicles while they waited for marked patrol cars to assist them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Patrol deputies caught up to the suspect’s vehicle as he travelled eastbound on 200th St E at Canyon Rd E in Frederickson. They turned on their lights and sirens to initiate a traffic stop but he sped away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since murder is a pursuable offense, deputies chased after the suspect. He turned southbound onto Eustis Hunt Rd and continued to drive recklessly, using the oncoming lane to pass cars and school busses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As he approached the \u201cS\u201d curves at the bottom of the hill on Eustis Hunt Rd, traffic slowed down in front of him and he had to hit his brakes. He swerved into the oncoming lane just as a dump truck towing a trailer was coming around the corner. The suspect swerved back into his lane, struck the rear corner of an SUV, and then hit the rear wheel of the dump trailer. The vehicle came to a stop against the guardrail and the patrol deputy pinned it in. Deputies ordered the suspect and his passenger out of the vehicle and handcuffed them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A records check revealed the vehicle was stolen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The suspect was evaluated at the hospital before he was booked into jail for his warrants. Additional charges from yesterday\u2019s incident will also be forwarded to prosecutors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The man’s 16-year-old girlfriend, who was listed as a runaway, was released to her parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The occupants of the other vehicles were not injured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Detectives towed the vehicle and obtained a warrant to search it. On the driver\u2019s side floorboard, they found a fully loaded pistol with an extended magazine and a switch that converts it to fully automatic. Detectives also located another pistol in the car. Additional charges may be forwarded to prosecutors for review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The suspect was arraigned this afternoon and bail was set at $1.5 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n