On May 30th at approximately 5:08 p.m. a uniformed patrol officer in a fully marked Seattle police car was on patrol near 5th Avenue and Broad Street when he observed the suspect vehicle, a green 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser, traveling at an elevated rate of speed. The suspect’s driving caught the officer’s attention and the officer began following the suspect while running the vehicle license plate through his police computer. The officer verified that the suspect vehicle was stolen and began calling for additional units in order to conduct a high-risk traffic stop.
In the area of the 200 block of Blanchard Street the officer initiated his emergency lights in an attempt to affect a traffic stop. The suspect failed to yield to the officer and began to disregard traffic control signals. A supervisor ordered the pursuit terminated. Some time later the officer called out over his police radio that the suspect had run over a child near the intersection of Dexter Avenue and Denny Way.
The officer stopped to render assistance to the nine-year-old girl and called for medics. SFD medics responded to the scene and subsequently transported the victim to Harborview Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the suspect entered the intersection of Dexter Avenue and Denny Way at speed from the south. The suspect attempted to turn east onto Denny Way however, he drove across the double-yellow centerline and both westbound traffic lanes of Denny Way and onto the north side sidewalk of Denny Way. The suspect struck a tree and then struck a nine-year-old girl who was walking down the sidewalk with her mother.
The suspect failed to stop and render aid and continued driving into Denny Park. The suspect drove through a grassy area of the park and back out onto the street at the east end of the park, continuing in an unknown direction.
Officers conducting an area search for the suspect located the unoccupied suspect vehicle near Mercer Street and Yale Avenue. The suspect vehicle was impounded and taken to the evidence garage for examination and processing by Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) detectives.
Multiple officers to include two canine units conducted an extensive area search however, the suspect and his front seat passenger, both believed to be males, remain at large. No other pedestrians or vehicles were involved in the incident.
Traffic Collision Investigation Squad detectives responded to the scene and continue to actively investigate.
Anyone with information about this incident or who may know the identity or whereabouts of the suspect and/or his passenger is asked to call 911 or Seattle Police immediately and refer to this incident. Anonymous tips are welcome.