Everett Police Chase Of Yakima Murder Suspect Leads To Multiple Rush Hour Crashes

Editor’s update April 24th 2:55 PM: This afternoon an Everett District Court Judge found there was probable cause to hold the suspected driver in jail for eluding police and hit and run. Bail was set at $100,000.00 for the man who has a lengthy criminal record and is reportedly from Sunnyside, Washington.

Normally Everett Police do not engage in pursuits. If someone tries to run from Everett Police, officers normally pull over, turn off their lights and siren and let the person drive on. This is usually the case for traffic violations, occupied stolen vehicles and other non-violent contacts. For years Everett Police have maintained that the danger to the public during a pursuit is too great a risk in most cases.

There are exceptions and today that happened as Everett Police were looking for a suspect wanted for 1st degree murder out of Yakima. Yakima authorities advised Everett Police a particular suspect was likely in Everett, Washington and considered armed and dangerous.

Around 4:20 Tuesday afternoon the suspect was spotted as a passenger in a White Acura near 7th Avenue SE and Everett Mall Way. When Everett officers tried to pull the Acura over it took off northbound at a high rate of speed.

Due to the likelihood there was an armed felon wanted for murder, Everett Police pursued the car. The pursuit wound up and down Broadway, over near Valley View and through the Pinehurst and Glacier View neighborhoods.

At one point MyEverettNews.com got a photo of the chase as the Acura went north on Beverly Boulevard passing cars on the right at E. Casino and 75th with multiple police SUVs following behind at a high rate.

The chase wound through central Everett before heading to Pacific Avenue near downtown and then southbound on Interstate 5. Throughout the chase in Everett there were multiple sideswipe accidents, some involving parked cars. Pacific and Smith was shut down for a time after a crash involving an Everett Police vehicle.

At Pacific the Acura went south from Everett on I-5 avoiding spike strips through Lynnwood and exiting west on 220th in Mountlake Terrace. The car went into the Winco Foods parking lot behind Starbucks at 220th and Highway 99. At that point the two in the car bailed out in the parking lot and headed in separate directions. Both were quickly taken into custody by police from at least five different departments who converged on the scene.

In addition to parked vehicles, there were four different Everett Police vehicles damaged in the pursuit. Everett Police Spokesman Aaron Snell tells MyEverettNews.com 2 EPD vehicles had minor damage, i.e. a broken mirror, with two other vehicles suffering moderate damage. One EPD officer was transported to the hospital to be checked as a precaution. There were no other reports of injuries.

The suspect, a 24 year-old man, will be transported to Yakima, WA for his murder warrant. The driver, a 39 year-old man, will be booked into the Snohomish County Jail on eluding and hit and run charges. No word yet on total property damage but again no injuries were reported.