By Jim Haley, Herald Writer
An ex-felon who smashed into an Everett police officer's patrol car did not deliberately ram the vehicle, according to charging documents filed Friday.
Alan Brian Waterman, 19, of Everett attempted to stop before crashing into the patrol car, prosecutors say.
He was charged in Snohomish County Superior Court with vehicular assault, second-degree burglary, second-degree theft and illegally possessing methamphetamine.
The July 15 crash in a south Everett industrial area seriously injured Everett officer Suzanne Eviston, 37, who was treated at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Her police dog, Axle, suffered a broken leg in the crash.
Eviston, a 10-year veteran of the department, underwent surgeries and treatment for multiple broken bones, deputy prosecutor Ed Stemler said in charging papers. She was hospitalized for nine days following the collision.
Eviston is now at an Everett rehabilitation center. She is expected to be there for some time, Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz said.
"She's doing better. She's going to be in a hospital setting for awhile," he said.
Axle has returned home and appears eager to return to police work.
"He's restless," Goetz said. "He's a working dog."
Police originally booked Waterman on a first-degree assault charge, believing he deliberately crashed a stolen Jeep Cherokee into the police vehicle.
The investigation indicates otherwise, Stemler said.
Detectives found 60 feet of skid marks left by the stolen Jeep.
"From this, it can be inferred that the defendant tried to stop, but was going too fast," Stemler said. The skid marks also indicate he was driving well in excess of the posted 30-mph speed limit, the prosecutor added.
Waterman admitted smoking methamphetamine just before he and two companions broke into the fenced area of a business, charging papers said.
According to documents, Waterman admitted breaking the lock on the gate, and he started to steal copper wire. About that time, a witness called police about suspicious vehicles in the area.
When police arrived, Waterman drove rapidly past two approaching police vehicles but slammed into Eviston's car, according to documents.
When he saw Eviston's car in his path, "he hit the brakes. They locked up and he hit the officer's vehicle," Stemler said.
Waterman's two companions were booked on burglary charges.
Waterman has one previous conviction of attempting to elude a police vehicle and three convictions for car theft. He also has three other criminal cases pending in Superior Court, Stemler said.
He's being held on $200,000 bail.
Herald writer Diana Hefley contributed to this report .
Reporter Jim Haley: 425-339-3447 or haley@heraldnet.com.
