Port Angeles man behind bars after ramming police cars trying to flee attempted burglary scene

KENT, Wash. — A 36-year-old Port Angeles man was scheduled to be in court Friday, after he allegedly rammed into a cop car and tried to evade Kent police during a burglary attempt.

On March 6th at 11:18 pm, Kent Officers were dispatched to the 15400 block of SE 272nd in response to a 911 call of a commercial burglary in progress.

“We were watching this live while we were on the phone with police,” said Andrew Nuez.

Nuez is the co-owner of Northwest Tri & Bike in Kent. He said it was like waking up to a nightmare, when he saw a man lurking outside his bike shop Wednesday night.

“Blood pressure is rising so you’re just assuming he’s gonna do something,” Nuez said.

Watching his surveillance cameras from home, Nuez tells me the suspect tried to pry through their back door with a crowbar.

“He couldn’t get in the back so he moved around to the front and was kind of peeking in, casing the joint, trying to see what he could get in here,” he explained.

Minutes later, Kent police showed up at his store. Surveillance video captured by Nuez’s Ring showed the suspect trying to get away when he crashed into a patrol vehicle.

Officers yell for the suspect to stop, but instead he hit the gas in reverse and backed into the curb and nearly hitting another cop car.

“We thought was just lining up to try and drive through. I mean, we’ve watched it before so that’s kind of what it felt like.”

At first, Nuez thought the suspect’s car was heading straight for his store.

“Your heart rate definitely goes up. We’ve had a lot of break ins, we don’t sleep that well anyways, but your heart’s just pumping when you’re watching all of this happening,” he explained.

Northwest Bike and Tri has gone through many bad break-ins before. So much so, Nuez said he’s working around the clock to keep his shop safe.

“We work constantly like it’s not a 40 hour work week, you’re almost working all the time. And then to add at night having to watch the parking lot and check all the cameras and all that kind of stuff,” he said.

The 36-year-old suspect is accused of attempting to elude and burglary. His bail hearing is scheduled for Saturday.

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