A late-night spinout on Renton streets ended with a 29-year-old driver in handcuffs Wednesday, after police say a red SUV slammed into two vehicles, took off, then refused to pull over until officers used a PIT maneuver to stop it. The driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI and hit-and-run and was cited for a list of alleged violations, including open containers, no insurance and driving without a valid license.
Police account of the stop
In a post on Facebook, the Renton Police Department said officers were sent to the 3900 block of NE 7th Street after reports that a red SUV hit two vehicles and left the scene. When officers tried to pull the SUV over using lights and sirens, police say the driver did not stop, circled back toward the original crash area for a moment, then took off again.
According to the department, officers eventually used a PIT maneuver on the 3800 block of NE 4th Street, spinning the SUV and bringing it to what they described as a controlled, safe stop nearby.
Legal context
State law is not kind to drivers who crash and then disappear. Washington requires anyone who hits unattended property, like parked cars, to stop and share their information, and leaving without doing so can bring criminal penalties that depend on whether anyone was hurt and other details, under RCW 46.52.010.
Driving under the influence is defined and punished in RCW 46.61.502, which allows officers and prosecutors to consider breath or blood test results along with what officers observe at the scene. Even when a DUI case is still under review by prosecutors, officers can stack on separate citations for alleged open-container violations and other traffic offenses.
What officers say they found at the stop
Once the SUV was stopped, officers reported smelling a strong odor of intoxicants coming from the driver. According to the department’s account, the man also seemed confused about why he had been pulled over.
Police say the 29-year-old was cited for not wearing a seat belt properly, having open alcoholic containers in the vehicle, failing to yield to an emergency vehicle, driving without insurance and driving without a valid license. He was arrested on an investigation of DUI and hit-and-run, according to the Renton Police Department.
Witness video and next steps
Investigators say a witness turned over video that appears to show a red SUV leaving the initial crash scene, and that footage will be part of the ongoing case review. Police are asking anyone with more information or additional video to get in touch with the department; contact details, non-emergency numbers and tip information are listed on the City of Renton Police page.
According to investigators, the case remains active while DUI testing is completed and prosecutors decide on potential charges. Police have released the suspect’s age but are withholding his name pending booking and notification procedures.
