A deputy's routine watch for dangerous driving in Burien turned into a multi-felony bust Wednesday night, after a driver spotted weaving through residential streets near Southwest 132nd Street and 2nd Avenue Southwest led deputies on a chase that stretched onto Highway 509, ended with a PIT maneuver, and uncovered a stolen car packed with methamphetamine, fentanyl and thousands of dollars in counterfeit cash.
According to the Burien Police Department, deputies conducting proactive patrols first noticed the vehicle driving extremely dangerously through the residential neighborhood and briefly followed it to observe the driver's behavior before the car took off.
Deputies ultimately performed a Pursuit Intervention Technique, or PIT maneuver, to force the fleeing vehicle to a stop. The driver then bailed out and ran on foot before deputies caught up and took the suspect into custody following a brief foot pursuit, the Burien Police Department's Facebook post states.
What Deputies Found Inside the Car
Once the vehicle was secured, deputies determined it had been stolen. A search turned up crystal methamphetamine, powdered fentanyl, digital scales consistent with weighing narcotics for sale, a CO2 gun, and $5,610 in counterfeit currency, per the department's account of the incident.
The driver was booked into the King County Jail on suspicion of eluding law enforcement, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession with intent to distribute, driving under the influence, and obstruction, the Burien Police Department reported. The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has not yet announced formal charges, and the driver's identity has not been released.
How the Charges Stack Up Under State Law
Each potential charge carries its own statutory weight. Attempting to elude a pursuing patrol vehicle by driving recklessly after a visual or audible stop signal is a Class C felony under RCW 46.61.024, punishable by up to five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, and automatic license revocation. Possessing a stolen motor vehicle is a more serious Class B felony under RCW 9A.56.068, carrying up to 10 years in state prison and a $20,000 fine regardless of the car's actual value.
The drug allegations carry similarly steep exposure. Possessing fentanyl or methamphetamine with intent to distribute is a Class B felony under RCW 69.50.401, with maximum penalties of 10 years in prison and $25,000 in fines.
Police Services
Burien contracts with the King County Sheriff's Office for police services.
Driving Safety
Impaired driving puts everyone on the road at risk.
Other regional cases include a Burien Drug Trafficker Busted With Meth, Cocaine and a Loaded Handgun and a stolen SUV rollover in South Seattle.
