Addressing concerns over pursuits after serious crash

Pierce County Sheriff addresses concerns over pursuits after serious crash

Since the state’s pursuit law changed in June, there have been several high-profile crashes.

SPANAWAY, Wash. - A police chase in Pierce County ended with a crash and a woman in critical condition.

The crash happened on Tuesday evening around 6:30 p.m. just south of Spanaway Lake, on Spanaway Loop Road South.

Investigators say the suspect refused to pull over due to expired tabs, then blew through a red light and hit two innocent vehicles.

That is when deputies say they started to pursue the suspect.

"The sergeant is able to get up next to the vehicle and perform a pit maneuver to get it to stop and end this pursuit. When the vehicle was pitted by the sergeant, it spins, hits the curb, and tumbles into the brush on the side of the road," said Sergeant Darren Moss with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.

Two of the suspects were arrested, but a third person was ejected from the vehicle and pinned underneath the car. First responders lifted the car and removed the person. That third person is in critical condition at the hospital.

Since the state’s pursuit law changed in June, there have been several high-profile crashes.

About two weeks ago, a woman killed her passenger after speeding off from an attempted traffic stop near Seattle, investigators said.

And in July, the Thurston County Sheriff reported at least three chases that ended in crashes. An innocent bystander was hurt in one of the chases which involved a DUI driver.

"The question of who’s right or wrong, and they want to choose that the police should just let it go, but the person who is actually in the wrong doesn’t face any accountability, that’s what they’re asking for. That didn’t work for the last two and half years because we saw even higher numbers of fatalities,’ said Moss.

Moss says if the situation is too dangerous, deputies will not pursue. However, he said it would have been more dangerous to let the suspect go in Tuesday night's incident.

"That driver said, ‘I’m going to punch through this red light, and I’m going to lose the cop.’ Well, he punched into two other vehicles and injured somebody. If that is your cousin, if that’s your sister, if that’s your spouse, if that’s your child in that other vehicle, what would you like us to do," Moss said.

The driver told Pierce County investigators he fled because of active warrants he had throughout the region. He now faces hit-and-run, eluding, and vehicular assault charges.

The woman ejected from the car was not wearing a seat belt, investigators said.