Officers arrested a carjacking suspect Wednesday morning in the University District after he stole a truck at knifepoint, struck a man on a scooter, and led police on a chase through Capitol Hill and North Seattle.
Updated 11/11 with additional info:
Around 5:15 AM, the suspect attempted to assault two construction site employees with a knife near 29th Avenue East and East Madison Street. One of the employees had been sitting in his parked work truck, but got out to try to help his coworker. The suspect chased the driver around the pickup truck, then jumped inside and drove off toward Downtown.
Soon after, the suspect in the truck – which had an attached trailer – struck a man on a scooter near 6th Avenue and Pine Street. The victim was transported by private ambulance to the hospital for a possible broken ankle. Then, the suspect struck two bicyclists and a parked car in the 400 block of Yesler Way. One of the bicyclists reportedly suffered two broken legs and went to the hospital for treatment. The other bicyclist’s minor injuries did not require a trip to the hospital. The owner of the parked car was standing next to it when it was hit and the impact pushed his car into him. He did not require medical treatment.
Police spotted the suspect near Broadway and East Madison Street and attempted to pull him over, but he sped away. Officers pursued the driver through Capitol Hill to Eastlake, where the trailer struck multiple parked cars and then detached from the truck near the intersection of Eastlake Avenue East and East Hamlin Street. The suspect showed no signs of stopping has he headed into the North Precinct, so police ended the pursuit.
North Precinct officers saw the truck north of Green Lake and followed the driver at a distance as he wound his way down to the University District and then back up to Ravenna. At 6:05 AM, the man drove the truck down a dead end street near Ravenna Park. Washington State Patrol Troopers deployed spike strips on the roadway, which popped the tires when the driver tried to flee yet again. The vehicle stopped near Northeast 47th Street and 17th Avenue Northeast, but the driver would not get out of the truck. Eventually, police took the man into custody with the assistance of a K9 officer.
Officers took the 35-year-old suspect to Harborview Medical Center for treatment and to serve a blood warrant for investigation of DUI.
Police then booked the man into King County Jail for first-degree robbery, attempted first-degree assault, vehicular assault, hit and run, eluding, DUI, and resisting arrest.
Original post:
Around 5:15 AM, the suspect pulled a knife on a motorist and stole his pickup truck, which had an attached trailer, near 29th Avenue East and East Madison Street. The suspect drove off and, a short time later, struck a man on a scooter near 6th Avenue and Yesler Way. The man on the scooter reportedly sustained leg injuries and was transported by private ambulance.
The suspect drove through the East Precinct, at one point losing the vehicle’s trailer at Eastlake Avenue East and East Hamlin Street and into the North Precinct, with officers in pursuit as the suspect had already struck and injured one person.
Police were eventually able to stop and arrest the suspect near NE 47th and 17th Ave NE 59th Avenue Northeast and Roosevelt Way Northeast.
This post contains preliminary information and we will update it as more information becomes available.