Early Friday morning, North Bend residents witnessed an unexpected high-speed pursuit, with dispatch receiving calls as early as 7:30 a.m. regarding a recklessly driven lime green Kia.
Spotted around the Shell Gas Station on North Bend Way, the Kia was seen traveling over 100 miles per hour. As reports continued to come in, officers quickly learned they were dealing with a stolen vehicle. In addition, one caller reported seeing a gun in the car, later determined to be a BB gun, further heightening the urgency of the situation.
Officers soon located the Kia near Les Schwab and attempted a traffic stop. Chief Lynch of the Snoqualmie Police Department explained that the suspect was barreling down North Bend Way toward Torguson Park at 80 miles per hour before any police intervention.
“The officers felt they had to attempt the traffic stop to keep the suspect from injuring someone,” Lynch emphasized, adding that the timing—morning hours when children wait for school buses—made it critical to intervene.
Despite the traffic stop attempt, the suspect evaded police and fled eastbound on Cedar Falls Way, driving recklessly through a construction zone. Officers, assessing the risk to nearby residents and workers, proceeded cautiously, briefly deactivating their lights and sirens to avoid alarming construction personnel in the area.
The pursuit continued until a supervising sergeant deemed it appropriate to initiate a PIT (Pursuit Intervention Technique) maneuver in a neighborhood area with no pedestrians present at the time. “The PIT is limited to use by properly trained officers with the approval of a supervisor,” Lynch stated.
Once officers performed the PIT, the suspect briefly continued fleeing by driving backward before his vehicle came to a halt after hitting a retaining wall. Yet the encounter was far from over. The driver abandoned the disabled vehicle and attempted to flee on foot, dropping a firearm from his pocket in the process.
Chief Lynch underscored the dangers inherent in such pursuits. “The officer is evaluating what they see constantly during the event, and when a suspect runs from the vehicle after a pursuit, the risk level to our officers goes up substantially. Luckily, this incident did not end in any officers being injured.”
As officers caught up to the suspect near Patkanim Avenue SE and SE 10th Street, he pulled a knife and advanced toward them. “Through our ongoing de-escalation training, officers are taught to use tactics that are intended to minimize the likelihood of the need to use force during an incident,” Lynch noted.
After a tense standoff, the suspect ultimately complied with verbal commands, allowing officers to detain him without further incident. The arrest highlights the life-or-death decisions that officers often make within seconds—a reality Lynch conveyed, saying, “It actually took longer for your readers to read this paragraph than the entire contact with the suspect with the knife in his hand lasted.”
The suspect now faces multiple charges, including felony charges for Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and Eluding, along with several misdemeanor charges such as Reckless Driving and Resisting Arrest.
Reflecting on the role of community members, Lynch praised the prompt 911 calls, crediting them with helping prevent potential injuries. “The community members who make 911 calls to report a potential crime play a huge role in the outcome of an incident,” he said, urging anyone who witnessed the chase or the arrest to contact the Snoqualmie Police Department at 425-888-3333, option 1.
The Snoqualmie Police Department, committed to thorough debriefs after such incidents, will review reports from all involved officers to assess potential improvements. Though this high-stakes incident ended without injuries, it serves as a reminder of the critical role both officers and community members play in keeping North Bend safe.
