Man jumps into lake to evade arrest
A North Seattle car thief spent 25 minutes in Lake Washington after ramming a patrol car and pointing a gun at officers.
By Rahul Sato ·
The chase ended at 7:45 a.m. Thursday when a 38-year-old man plunged into the freezing waters of Lake Washington. He had just stolen an SUV, crashed into a police cruiser, and brandished a loaded pistol at responding officers in the Matthews Beach neighborhood.
The incident began near the Safeway on 15th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 123rd Street. The vehicle owner called 911 after watching the suspect climb through the tailgate of his SUV. The thief started the engine with the push-to-start button and drove eastbound. The victim retained possession of an Apple AirTag placed inside the vehicle. He rode in a patrol car with an officer, using the tag to track the suspect's movement in real time across North Seattle.
Officers located the stolen vehicle parked near Northeast 100th Street and Riviera Place Northeast. The area runs parallel to the Burke-Gilman Trail. The suspect sat inside the car. He placed the vehicle in reverse and struck the police cruiser while an officer remained inside. The suspect then backed into a residential yard, where the car became lodged against the side of another home.
An officer approached the vehicle and opened the driver's side door. The suspect drew a loaded firearm and pointed it at the officer. The police officer took cover. The thief then exited the vehicle, dropped his gun, and ran into a backyard. He jumped directly into Lake Washington.
The suspect treaded water for approximately 25 minutes. He told officers he feared incarceration due to multiple active warrants. He complained about the cold water and refused to swim back to shore. He eventually gave up and swam to land. Medics from the Seattle Fire Department evaluated him after he reported swallowing drugs. He later spit out a white substance that investigators identified as fentanyl.
After surrendering, the man provided a fake name before officers confirmed his identity. He is currently on probation with the Washington State Department of Corrections, the King County Sheriff's Office, and the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office. Seattle police booked him on charges of stealing the SUV, felony assault, and unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The department has not disclosed the details of the active warrants. The case remains under investigation.
Source: KZJO
