Authorities say a 22-year-old man did not just lead Washington State Patrol troopers on a high-speed chase near Sumner on Jan. 4. Weeks later, prosecutors allege, he came back for his yellow Chevrolet Corvette, driving it off a South Prairie tow yard after it had been impounded. The man now faces burglary and vehicle-theft charges. Jail records also list a Department of Corrections detainer and additional King County warrants connected to the case.
High-speed chase on SR 410
State trooper Trevor Loos first spotted the Corvette on State Route 410 near milepost 9 and switched on his emergency lights before the driver hit the gas and took off, according to The News Tribune. Court documents say Loos used the push bars on his patrol car to pin the Chevrolet and bring it to a stop near the SR 410 interchange. The driver and a passenger got out of the car and were taken into custody, according to the filings.
Tow-yard break-in caught on camera
After the pursuit, Washington State Patrol impounded the Corvette and had it taken to Hometown Towing and Recovery in South Prairie, court records state. Surveillance footage from a nearby business later became key.
"Surveillance footage from a neighboring business showed a white or light-colored Tesla dropping off a suspect who then ran toward the tow yard," The News Tribune reports. Deputies wrote that two locks on the gates had been cut and that tire tracks showed the Corvette left the property in the early hours of Jan. 30.
Where deputies found the Corvette and the charges filed
King County deputies later located the stolen Corvette at about 3:30 a.m. on East Lake Morton Drive Southeast in Kent. Prosecutors filed counts in May that include second-degree burglary and theft of a motor vehicle, according to court filings cited in public records.
Court documents also allege the man attempted to elude a pursuing police vehicle during the Jan. 4 chase. Separate King County Sheriff’s Office warrants list hit-and-run and attempting to elude in connection with other incidents, and jail records note a DOC detainer.
What the charges could mean
Under Washington law, burglary in the second degree is a class B felony, and theft of a motor vehicle is also a class B felony. Taking a motor vehicle without permission is charged separately under state statute. The state statutes on burglary and motor-vehicle theft are outlined in RCW 9A.52.030 and RCW 9A.56.065. Penalties depend on the final charges and the defendant’s criminal history and can include prison time, fines and restitution.
Prosecutors filed the charges in May, and the case remains pending in Pierce County. Court documents are the primary public source for the timeline and allegations. The case crosses county lines, involving Washington State Patrol, Pierce County deputies and King County detectives in the pursuit, the reported tow-yard break-in and the recovery of the Corvette.
