An adult male suspect assaulted an officer and a sergeant this afternoon while they attempted to prevent the suspect from fleeing the scene of a traffic stop. At approximately 4:45 p.m. a uniformed female officer on patrol observed a male suspect who was driving a black Kia run a red light on California Avenue SW at SW Charlestown Street. After running the red light the suspect almost struck the officer’s patrol car. The officer conducted a traffic stop on the suspect at 42nd Avenue SW and SW Charlestown Street. A patrol sergeant responded to the scene to back up the officer.
Upon further investigation it was discovered that the suspect had no driver’s license and no identification on his person, and provided a false identity to the officer. At one point during the stop the suspect attempted to drive away from the scene at which point the officer physically intervened to stop him. A struggle ensued between the officer and the suspect at which point the sergeant intervened.
An adult male citizen who observed the altercation jumped in to assist the officers. The suspect was eventually taken into custody.
The officer, the sergeant and the citizen were all injured in the struggle. The citizen was examined by fire department medics and released from the scene with non-life-threatening injuries. The female officer and male sergeant were also examined by medics at the scene and subsequently transported to Harborview Medical Center for treatment of their non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect was not injured.
After a further records check on the suspect officers verified that the suspect was wanted on an outstanding King County Sheriff’s Office felony burglary warrant. The suspect was also found to be in possession of narcotics.
The 28-year-old male suspect was transported to the Southwest Precinct for processing and will be booked into the King County Jail on the following charges: Felony Assault on an Officer (x2), Felony Assault on a citizen, Felony Possession of Narcotics, and on the Felony Burglary warrant.
This remains an active and on-going investigation.