THURSTON COUNTY, Wash. — The Thurston County Sheriff’s office released dash camera video showing a pursuit of a man who paused to drink vodka upon being stopped, KIRO reported.
The Jan. 25 incident began when deputies were alerted to a stolen vehicle, according to the report. A traffic unit deputy spotted the vehicle running a red light and initiated a traffic stop, but after briefly opening the door, the suspect shut it and sped off.
The suspect led deputies southbound on a highway, reaching speeds over 100 mph before exiting the roadway and continuing to flee.
Video shows deputies attempting a PIT maneuver, but the suspect recovered and continued to flee. A second attempt using a Grappler device to disable the vehicle failed due to damage. Finally, a second PIT maneuver pinned the SUV, bringing the pursuit to an end.
The suspect exited the vehicle holding a bottle of vodka, which he drank from while ignoring deputies’ commands, video shows. After deputies issued further warnings, the suspect threw the bottle across the road and complied by lying on the ground. He was arrested without further incident.
Deputies learned the suspect had been drinking vodka throughout the pursuit, according to a passenger in the vehicle. The man was booked into Thurston County Jail on suspicion of driving under the influence, attempting to elude police and driving with a suspended license. He also received citations for running a red light, public intoxication and littering, according to the report.
Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders addressed the incident in a Facebook post, expressing frustration with repeat offenders.
“If the state has any interest in curbing high speed chases, abysmal auto theft rates and record high traffic fatalities, we may want to consider moving away from our current practice that enables these individuals to continuously reoffend until they eventually kill someone,” Sanders said. “Unfortunately, most of the conversations occurring in the legislature right now are centered around lowering sentencing penalties and encouraging criminals to engage in dangerous behavior that put us all at risk of serious bodily harm and death.”
This incident marks the second time deputies have pursued the same suspect, who had recently been released from prison for a similar offense, according to the report.
