An 18-year-old man was arrested early Saturday morning after allegedly leading a Franklin County Sheriff's Office sergeant on a high-speed pursuit through Pasco that investigators say topped 100 mph and ended with his car slamming into the side of a house. Authorities said no one inside the home was hurt.
The teen, identified as Theodore Contreras, was arrested on suspicion of reckless driving, eluding, hit and run, and driving while license suspended in the second degree, according to TriYakNews.com. The sheriff's office said the pursuit unfolded early Saturday, November 14, after a sergeant driving westbound on Argent Road near Road 68 spotted a vehicle heading eastbound at an increasing speed.
Chase Wound Through Pasco Streets
From there, the outlet's report describes a chaotic path across the city. Contreras's vehicle traveled underneath the Interstate 182 overpass and disappeared from sight. A short time later, its taillights were spotted heading northbound on Road 44 as the sergeant continued pursuing. Investigators believe the car reached speeds exceeding 100 mph at some point during the chase.
The pursuit appears to have ended when the driver failed to navigate the roundabout at Cathedral Drive, allowing the sergeant to locate the vehicle after it crashed into the side of a house in Pasco. The crash caused damage to the home's exterior, though authorities said the people inside were not injured. Contreras was reportedly found on foot nearby and taken into custody.
Sheriff's Office Thanks Pasco Police
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office reported that the pursuit occurred early Saturday morning and thanked the Pasco Police Department for its response and assistance, per the outlet's account. No additional details about the sergeant's identity or further charges were included in the report.
The case echoes another Pasco speeding incident that ended far more tragically. In a separate case from 2023, 22-year-old Ramon Contreras pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and three counts of vehicular assault after his Camaro slid at a curve on Madison Avenue and veered into the path of an oncoming SUV, killing his friend, according to the Tri-City Herald. That report noted Contreras had received two speeding tickets in the months before the crash, and his sentencing agreement required at least $15,000 in restitution. That case is unrelated to Saturday's pursuit and involved a different driver.
No further details on Theodore Contreras's court proceedings have been released.
