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An intense police pursuit unfolded in Washington state when a suspect allegedly hurled a chainsaw at officers during a high-speed chase, all of which was captured on video.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office reported that the incident started shortly before midnight on April 19. A woman had called to report her car stolen from an apartment complex in the Parkland area.
Just minutes later, a K9 deputy spotted the stolen vehicle attempting to leave the area and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. However, the driver refused to comply, igniting a high-speed chase, officials said.
Authorities stated that the vehicle, containing two suspects, sped onto Interstate 5 heading south. Video footage and radio communications documented the rapid escalation of the pursuit.
As the stolen car raced down Interstate 5, deputies closely followed, capturing the dramatic late-night chase on camera. (Image courtesy of Pierce County Sheriff’s Office)
Early in the pursuit a deputy could be heard calling out that there was little traffic ahead as speeds reached around 70 miles per hour.
The situation escalated when a deputy suddenly radioed, “Just threw a chainsaw,” warning that the passenger was tossing objects out of the window and telling other units to “keep your eyes open.”
Investigators said the suspect also threw rope and climbing gear onto the roadway as deputies continued the pursuit.
Officials said this is the point where the chase took a dangerous turn, as the passenger’s actions created a serious hazard for pursuing deputies.
The pursuit continued off Interstate 5 toward Joint Base Lewis McChord. As the suspects exited toward a logistics gate the stolen vehicle became stuck near a roundabout.
Deputies detain a suspect near a fenced area after a K9 track following the chase. (Pierce County Sheriff’s Office)
Audio and video from deputies captured the moment the chase came to a stop, with one officer saying, “He’s stuck… get set up around here,” as units quickly moved in to contain the area.
Both suspects then bailed out of the vehicle and ran. A deputy could be heard broadcasting a description of the driver, saying he was wearing “black pants, white shirt,” as officers spread out and set up a perimeter.
With the suspects on foot, deputies then deployed a K9 unit to track them. Before releasing the dog an officer issued a clear warning that was captured on video, saying, “My dog will find you, he will bite you,” giving the suspect a chance to surrender.
A suspect runs through brush as deputies track him with a K9 unit after a high-speed pursuit. (Pierce County Sheriff’s Office)
Moments later the K9 located the passenger as the video captured the tense takedown as deputies closed in and repeatedly shouted commands including “Hands up” and “Get on your stomach,” ordering the suspect to show his hands and lie flat on the ground before he was taken into custody
Authorities said the 31-year-old passenger was transported to a hospital for treatment of a dog bite. He was expected to face multiple charges including first degree assault for allegedly throwing the chainsaw and other items at deputies, along with possession of motor vehicle theft tools and attempting to elude, officials said.
The 28-year-old driver initially escaped but was later located by military police on the base and taken into custody. He has been booked on charges of felony eluding and theft of a motor vehicle, according to officials.