An 18-year-old man wanted on a felony warrant out of King County led police on a brief but dangerous series of events Friday morning, ending in a multi-vehicle crash in Tumwater that critically injured one person, according to Tumwater Police.
Tumwater police say they were alerted around 8:45 a.m. to the suspect’s location near New Market Street and Tumwater Boulevard after receiving information from King County.
The man was being tracked via an ankle monitor and had a cautionary flag attached to his warrant.
Officers found the suspect asleep in a new GMC Denali with temporary tags parked in a lot near New Market Street.
Before waking him, police deployed a pursuit intervention device (PID) under the SUV.
When officers made contact and asked the suspect to get out, he refused and drove away at a high speed.
Shortly afterward, the suspect collided with two vehicles at the intersection of Capitol Boulevard and Tumwater Boulevard.
One of the victim vehicles was pushed into a nearby building on the southeast corner of the intersection.
The driver of that vehicle was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with critical injuries.
The second vehicle’s occupants suffered minor injuries.
No one inside the building was hurt, and the structure was not penetrated by the impact.
The suspect ran from the scene but was captured shortly after by a Tumwater officer, with help from a bystander.
He was medically evaluated and found to be uninjured.
Police confirmed the Denali had been reported stolen in an armed carjacking in Tukwila on July 10.
Investigators have not yet determined if the arrested suspect is the same person involved in that incident.
The man is being processed for DUI and will face multiple felony charges, including possession of a stolen vehicle, felony hit and run, and vehicular assault.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office is handling the crash investigation, while Tumwater Police are leading the criminal case involving the suspect.
TRAFFIC ALERT:
Tumwater Boulevard is closed at Nikolas Street. Traffic is heavily restricted near Capitol Boulevard and Tumwater Boulevard as the investigation continues.
Officials ask drivers to avoid the area.
More updates will be provided as the investigation develops.
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