Seattle police officers arrested an intoxicated 20-year-old graffiti artist this morning for vandalizing state property and running from police in the South Park neighborhood.
Just before 1:00 a.m., a patrol officer spotted the tagger damaging the lower West Marginal Way South bridge in the 700 block of South Cloverdale Street. When the officer approached him, the suspect fled on foot and the officer chased after him.
After a long foot chase, the officer caught up to the suspect and arrested him. His hands had “light blue paint residue which appeared to be consistent with the fresh graffiti found underneath the bridge,” according to the police report.
The suspect, who appeared intoxicated and had trouble balancing while walking, was also armed with a knife. He is known to law enforcement for violent offenses.
Police recovered the knife, a bottle of Fireball liquor, and photographed the now-defaced bridge.
Officers booked the suspect into King County Jail for Property destruction, Obstructing a public officer, and Minor in possession of alcohol.
Detectives assigned to the case referred charges to the city attorney’s office.
Incident Number: 2026-061531