Stolen construction equipment leads to police pursuit, fire in Pierce County, WA
PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. - A police pursuit ends in car fire, explosionsuit involving a stolen truckcarrying construction equipment unfolded in Pierce County early Wednesday morning, leading to a vehicle fire and temporary road closures.
The backstory:
The incident began around 5:30 a.m. when Bonney Lake police attempted to make contact with the driver of a truck towing a trailer with a backhoe. Authorities suspected the equipment had been stolen. The driver fled, prompting a pursuit involving multiple agencies, including the Pierce County Sheriff's Department and Sumner Police Department.
During the chase, the trailer detached from the vehicle on southbound State Route 167. The driver then set the truck on fire and ran from the scene. Sumner police used a K-9 to search for the suspect.
The pursuit ended in Edgewood, where the truck was abandoned at Jovita Station. The fire ignited propane tanks in the truck's bed, causing explosions. To ensure public safety, 114th Avenue was temporarily closed.
What's next:
Jovita Station remained closed as public works crews cleaned up the aftermath.
Deputies continued searching for the suspect into Wednesday afternoon.
The Source: Information for this story came from the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, the Edgewood Police Department and the Washington State Department of Transportation.
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