PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — Canyon Road East in Pierce County has many names and many problems. In recent months, KIRO 7 has reported on several fatal and horrific crashes on Canyon Road caused by speeding and other dangerous driving behaviors. It’s because of those behaviors and the public asking for more deputies in the area that the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office emphasized their patrol to crack down on reckless driving and speeding.
“We don’t want to see any more crosses put up on Canyon Road. And the only way to make that stop is to do these emphases and get people to understand that we are taking this seriously and we want them to be safe,” Deputy Carly Cappetto said.
Deputy Cappetto tells KIRO 7 that in their first week alone, deputies wrote 124 citations and arrested several drivers for DUI, driving on a suspended license, etc.
She says their “Target 0″ Pierce County Task Force has spent $50,000 to spend on traffic emphasis and speed-related projects for the fiscal year.
She says some of that $50,000 is being used for this Canyon Road Project. She also shared some of the body camera footage on their social media pages to show just how much emphasis has cracked down on speeding.
“And I was driving 45 miles an hour. I was….not shocked with the amount of cars that would speed by me,” Deputy Cappetto said.
Deputy Cappetto tells KIRO 7 that other nearby agencies like Tacoma PD, Bonney Lake PD, Sumner PD and more are assisting them with this emphasis patrol.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office plans to continue said patrol for a while until drivers change their behaviors on the road.
“We want to create those habits long-lasting and that people are doing what they should be doing in the first place,” Deputy Cappetto said.
©2025 Cox Media Group
