A 21-year-old man rammed two cars, ran from police, and had a confrontation with a martial arts instructor in South Seattle Monday afternoon before he was arrested by officers after they found him hiding inside a medical marijuana grow. Buckle in, folks.
The incident began around 2 pm, when a South Precinct patrol officer tried to pull over the 21-year-old man and his 18-year-old female passenger, after spotting them driving a car with no license plate.
When the officer flashed his red and blues at the suspects, the suspects barreled through a stop light, at Seward Park Avenue and Rainier Ave S., striking two other vehicles.
Thankfully, no one was seriously injured in the crash. However, the suspects’ car was disabled and rolled down the street for several hundred feet before coming to a stop. Then, the two suspects bailed out of the car and took off running. The officer quickly caught up to the woman and arrested her as her male companion fled down Rainier Ave.
As the suspect ran from the scene of the three car accident officers, he caught the attention of a martial arts instructor, who just happened to be walking down the street.
The martial arts instructor chased after the man and delivered a “outside crescent kick” to the suspect’s leg, sweeping him off his feet and onto the ground.
The instructor and another man pinned the suspect to the pavement and tried to hold him there for officers. But, continuing the incident’s strange arc, an unidentified man came over and helped the suspect escape from their grasp.
Again, the suspect took off running, and fled into a building housing a medical marijuana growing operation.
As officers entered the grow op and fanned out amongst the pot plants, they spotted a piece of red fabric peeking out from a makeshift loft above the main floor.
Believing they had spotted the suspect’s red jacket, officers called out and grabbed at the fabric, which turned out to be a red bag filled with jewelry, several wallets, mail and cash, apparently hidden by the suspect. Shortly after police found the bag, officers found the 21-year-old man hiding in a wall inside the grow operation. Officers arrested the 21-year-old, and found he was carrying cash and a young girl’s purple wallet.
Officers found an address in the purple wallet and on several pieces of mail in the red bag, and drove to the home. There, they found a family who had just returned the home to find their door kicked in and their home ransacked. Among the items taken in the burglary: several iPads and the purple wallet.
Meanwhile, back at the scene of the crash, officers found several iPads in the suspects’ car, as well as a gun.
Officers booked the 21-year-old man—who is on Department of Corrections supervision—for hit and run, felony eluding and unlawful possession of a firearm, and are investigating the man for burglary. The 18-year-old woman was identified and released.