72-year-old WA man fights back against carjacker

New video shows pursuit of WA carjacking suspect

A 72-year-old man helped to foil an attempted carjacking in King County after the suspect stole his minivan.

COVINGTON, Wash. - A 72-year-old man helped to foil an attempted carjacking in King County after the suspect stole his minivan.

Investigators say suspect Beau Whitefield may have met his match when he tried to steal the van out from under Larry Corrigan.

Video from Guardian One caught much of the ordeal on camera.

Black Diamond officers were the first to give chase when police say Whitefield tried to flee in a stolen pickup truck.

Court documents state that he ran over a spike strip which punctured a tire, as King County deputies in Guardian One started following him from high in the sky.

Court docs said that "he ran over a spike strip which punctured a tire, but [Whitefield] kept driving."

Investigators said that he first hit a woman in a Toyota. Court documents state that he "repeatedly struck her car windows with what she thought might be a baseball bat."

Investigators reported that, "She cowered in fear and the glass was breaking all around her. The defendant then ran on foot from this crash."

"They thought it was a baseball bat on the window. Regardless of what it was, that's very terrifying for the victims," said Casey McNerthney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. "We want victims to know that prosecutors hear them and when we have allegations like this we are going to go to court."

Whitefield is accused of running from the first crash scene on foot and approaching Larry Corrigan, near the UW Medical facility.

Documents state that he "opened the door to the minivan and yanked Mr. Corrigan out of the vehicle, throwing him to the ground."

However, the 72-year-old wasn't going to back down without a fight.

Investigators say Corrigan grabbed the key from the van.

Court documents stated, "Mr. Corrigan got up and grabbed the keys out of the minivan. The defendant produced a hammer and ran at Mr. Corrigan while wielding the hammer. Mr. Corrigan was in fear that he would be hit with the hammer, so he threw the keys to the minivan in front of the vehicle."

Investigators say Corrigan then used quick thinking to trip up the suspect. As Whitefield ran, Corrigan tripped him and he fell.

Court documents state, "As the defendant ran to get them, Mr. Corrigan tripped the defendant. The defendant fell, but got up, got in the van and drove it away, with KCSO Deputies soon in pursuit."

Whitefield eventually got into the van and sped away, cutting off other cars as officers said he tried to elude them. Law enforcement officers said that they stopped him with a PIT maneuver, and he was arrested.

"You can’t have this type of behavior and expect to get away with it. It has to go to court," said McNerthney. "We’re fortunate no one was hurt more seriously."

The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office says Whitefield has been charged with robbery and attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle.

"What we wanted to show to the court was the seriousness of the allegations," said McNerthney.