A King County man has found himself in deep legal waters after authorities charged him with possession of a destructive device that led to a temporary shutdown of a major thoroughfare earlier this month. Sokphana Soeung, 42, was hauled before a federal court yesterday, where he received his formal charges, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington. The high-stakes incident on October 12, not only sparked a low-velocity police pursuit but also brought traffic on Interstate 90 to a standstill.
The story began innocuously at Enatai Beach Park, where Bellevue Police were called to investigate two individuals asleep in a car—eventually leading to Soeung leading officers on a slow chase after he quite literally tried to escape the long arm of the law, deflating his own getaway vehicle's tires on strategically placed spike strips the chase unfolded at a snail's pace WSP joined in as Soeung's impaired car veered onto I-90, setting in motion a sequence of events that brought him under the federal spotlight.
It was on Mercer Island where a WSP trooper pulled off a maneuver that brought the chase to a halt, but not before Soeung leapt from the car brandishing a black ball and a lighter—presumably a makeshift explosive, as later confirmed by investigators. Soeung dropped both objects when tackled by police, at which point it was discovered the ball was a tennis ball filled with explosive powder, complete with a fuse. Upon inspecting the car, a second potential explosive made from sparklers taped together was found.
The severity of the situation led to the closure of I-90 while bomb squad teams worked to ensure the safety of the public and the structural integrity of the I-90 bridge, the action caused considerable disruption to the flow of traffic and undoubtedly shook the psyche of the local community as law enforcement diligently swept the area to give an all-clear. The other person in the car jumped out before Soeung, and after being detained, claimed ignorance regarding the explosives, according to a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington.
Soeung, now in state custody since his audacious October escapade, faces up to a decade in prison if convicted of unlawful possession of a destructive device. His case, a collaboration between Bellevue Police, the Washington State Patrol, and ATF, falls under the prosecutorial watch of Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Y. Gregson.
