Two individuals are facing multiple charges after a police pursuit involving a stolen vehicle ended with arrests and the recovery of firearms and narcotics in Kent on Monday.
The incident began when a Kent Police officer, conducting a routine patrol near an apartment complex close to Kent Meridian High School, identified a 2014 Kia Sorrento that had been reported stolen. When the officer attempted a traffic stop, the driver—a 36-year-old man from Seattle—quickly reversed direction, making a U-turn and ramming the patrol car in his effort to flee. The collision gave the officer an unmistakable close-up look at the driver’s face.
Additional officers quickly responded to the area and began searching for the fleeing vehicle. The stolen Kia became stuck in a landscaped section of the complex, forcing both the driver and his passenger—a 44-year-old woman from Kent—to abandon the vehicle and attempt to run.
The female suspect was apprehended almost immediately. Meanwhile, the male suspect attempted to disappear into a crowd of onlookers who had gathered to watch the commotion. However, his efforts to blend in failed, as the officer who had seen his face during the traffic stop was able to quickly identify him with help from witnesses and supporting evidence, leading to his arrest.
Upon inspecting the vehicle, police discovered a firearm with tampered serial numbers. The driver, a convicted felon, was booked on multiple felony charges, including eluding police, possessing a stolen vehicle, unlawful firearm possession, and altering a firearm’s identifying information.
Further investigation revealed that the female suspect was under active supervision by the Department of Corrections (DOC) due to previous criminal convictions. DOC agents arrested her for violating her release conditions and later searched her home, where they uncovered a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun and a bag of methamphetamine. She now faces new charges from DOC in addition to being charged by Kent Police with vehicle trespass for knowingly occupying a stolen car.
Kent Police commended the quick response of their officers and the coordination with DOC, which they say played a key role in ensuring both suspects were taken into custody safely.
