UPDATE: A suspect wanted in connection with a horrific collision in Burien that killed a man and sent a small child to Harborview on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024 has been arrested in Thurston County along I-5 in Tumwater.
Initial Incident Details:
As we previously reported, at approximately 11:32 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) deputies observed a stolen Ram 1500 pick-up truck parked in the City of SeaTac. As deputies were making plans to contact the driver, the vehicle drove off at high speeds.
The driver of the Jeep, a male, was tragically pronounced dead at the scene. A young child who was riding in the Jeep was transported to Harborview Medical Center for treatment.
The driver of the stolen truck, described as a white or Hispanic male in his early 20s and around 5’9″ tall, fled the scene on foot.
Investigation and Arrest:
KCSO detectives, along with surrounding agencies, launched a search for the suspect. Early on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, the Washington State Patrol (WSP) located the suspect’s vehicle, a white Toyota Corolla, parked in a rest area along I-5 in Thurston County. The suspect was found sleeping inside the vehicle and apprehended without incident by WSP troopers with assistance from other local law enforcement agencies.
Charges and Next Steps:
The suspect was booked into King County Jail on charges of Vehicular Homicide.
The King County Sheriff’s Office extended its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased and expresses gratitude to all law enforcement partners who contributed to the successful apprehension of the suspect.
“The King County Sheriff’s Office is thankful for the coordinated effort, and for the strong partnerships amongst all our LE Partners around the state to include The Washington State Patrol, Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, and Centralia PD,” police said.
“The King County Sheriff’s Office is proud of the hard work from our detectives, in tracking this suspect which ultimately led to him being taken into custody.”
These car thieves have taken the most important thing we have again – a life! We must treat these criminals with serious consequences otherwise it seems just routine in their world and even if the outcome isn’t as horrific as this one it still takes normal people’s sense of security, the ability to go to work, to visit or take care of others. We also now have car insurance going up because of these criminals and it doesn’t change their world but all of these have direct impact to our lives. Back to this one incident the child without a father, the family without this person in their lives, the homes at the scene that now have the knowledge, sight and have heard the sound of that accident and can never un-see or hear. My heart felt prayers to all.
Thelma I couldn’t have said it better myself. Why we descended into this cycle of treating criminals better than tax paying citizens is beyond me. I hope people have had enough and vote with common sense going forward.
Thelma. 100% with you on this. These kids are stealing cars to go from point A to B like it’s the most normal thing to do. I am getting to the stage where I am afraid to go some places and if I do I may not have a car to return home. SICK OF THIS ! Happy to help if needed.
Because these kids listen laws so well already and the political leaders do so much to fight these simple theft crimes like call the police and fill out your insurance then your insurance sends you a check and you get a new car . Now we can make a bunch of laws because people won’t lock their car correctly or follow simple suggestion on how to keep your car from being stolen. Kinda like making laws to keep a gang member from using a stolen firearm in a crime then blaming the firearm not person with control over the trigger or the correct owner that left the firearm out to be stolen.