Suspect Drives Stolen Vehicle Wrong Way on I-5

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested a 29 year-old Kent man last night after witnessing the suspect flee from law enforcement by driving the wrong way on I-5 twice in less than 24 hours. The incident ended around 2:30 a.m. this morning on the southbound lanes of I-5 near 196th St SW when a patrol deputy successfully stopped the stolen vehicle by using a PIT maneuver.

Yesterday, around noon, a deputy on patrol reported that he was pursuing a stolen vehicle at the intersection of Butternut Rd and Larch Way in Lynnwood. The pursued vehicle entered the freeway, traveling northbound on I-5. The vehicle then entered the southbound lanes, still traveling northbound.

The pursuit was terminated for public safety.

Around 2:30 this morning, another deputy noticed a vehicle matching the description from the incident of the previous day at a gas station on 128th St SE in Everett. The deputy attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect fled and entered I-5 traveling southbound in the northbound lanes. The deputy did not follow behind the suspect vehicle, but instead traveled alongside the suspect vehicle in the southbound direction on I-5 southbound. The suspect vehicle then crossed over the median to the southbound lanes and continued traveling south. The deputy employed the PIT maneuver, causing the vehicle to roll over.

Neither the male driver nor the female passenger sustained serious injuries. The males was examined at a local hospital and then booked on attempting to elude, possession of a stolen vehicle and an outstanding warrant in the Snohomish County Jail. The female was briefly detained and released.

When the vehicle rolled, several items, including mail and technology items in shopping bags, were ejected. These items were collected by patrol and have been given to detectives to determine if they are stolen.