A late-night getaway in Kitsap County did not go quite as planned for a 32-year-old Shelton man, who deputies say fled a DUI stop at more than 100 mph and still wound up in handcuffs after allegedly leaving his identification card with the deputy who pulled him over.
Deputies said the man took off from the initial traffic stop, prompting the deputy to follow for a time before calling off the pursuit when continuing it was deemed too dangerous. A short time later, investigators went to the driver's listed address in Shelton, found the vehicle, and arrested him on suspicion of DUI, reckless driving and attempting to elude police.
According to KOMO News, the deputy still had the man's ID from the initial stop, which made tracking him down significantly easier. KOMO reports the car topped 100 mph during the incident and that deputies later located the vehicle at the man's Shelton home, where they took him into custody on suspicion of DUI, reckless driving and attempting to elude.
Why deputies called off the pursuit
Washington law requires officers to weigh public safety at every step of a vehicle pursuit and to have supervisory oversight and a documented risk assessment in place. The law states that "a peace officer may not engage in a vehicular pursuit, unless" certain conditions are met, and it directs officers to factor in speed, weather, traffic and whether there are minors in either vehicle. RCW 10.116 spells out the criteria and makes clear that pursuits that do not meet those standards must be terminated.
Kitsap County policy
The Kitsap County Sheriff's Office echoes that framework in its public policies, which highlight "Policy 313 - Vehicle Pursuits" as the guide for deputies. The policy directs them to put the safety of officers, bystanders and fleeing drivers first, and to consider tactics such as spike strips or PIT maneuvers only when appropriate and within guidelines. The Kitsap County Sheriff's Office publishes its pursuit and use-of-force policies online and notes that incidents involving pursuits are subject to internal review.
Legal implications
Under state law, attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle can bring more than just a traffic ticket. RCW 46.61.024 makes it a class C felony to willfully fail to stop and then drive recklessly while trying to get away from a marked police vehicle after being signaled to pull over. The statute also allows for administrative penalties, including possible license consequences, on top of any criminal charges such as DUI or reckless driving.
KOMO did not publish the suspect's name, and the sheriff's office provided the account relied on by reporters. Authorities had not released additional booking or bail information in the initial report. For everyone else on the road, the case is another pointed reminder that high-speed flights from traffic stops can quickly turn dangerous for drivers, deputies and the communities caught in between.
