A race, then a high-speed chase, ends with car up a tree

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, May 7, 2019

EVERETT — After leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase in Everett on Friday, a man and woman found themselves looking at the ground with their car upended against a tree.

The 18-year-old man, from Lynnwood, was booked into the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of eluding law enforcement, reckless endangerment and driving with a suspended license.

Neither appeared to have serious injuries, according to a Washington State Patrol trooper’s report filed in Snohomish County Superior Court.

Around 11 p.m., a trooper had attempted to pull over two cars, a Honda Civic and an Infiniti G35, for racing on Evergreen Way. The trooper clocked them going more than 80 mph in a 35 mph zone. Their modified exhausts roared as they accelerated.

The trooper pulled up alongside the Honda and told the driver to pull over into the next parking lot. The driver, who reportedly turned out to be the 18-year-old man, apparently agreed.

Instead, the Honda took off onto Highway 526 and headed for the I-5 exit, the trooper’s report said.

Leaving the Infiniti behind, the trooper gave chase. As he approached the exit for the freeway, he could see a large cloud of dirt and smoke. A car’s engine could be heard revving, as if stuck.

Then the Honda, with lights off, reportedly darted onto southbound I-5. The trooper sped up to 109 mph to catch up, and estimated that the Honda had reached triple digits as well, according to court papers.

Past 112th Street SE in south Everett, the Honda swerved to avoid a car, lost control and veered across the freeway.

The car rotated 180 degrees and, going backwards, flew off the road and vaulted off an embankment.

The trooper pulled over, drew a handgun and ran toward the car. He found the car with its back end resting about 15 feet up a tree. The man was hastily helping the woman get out of the passenger seat.

Once she was out, the trooper ordered both of them to the ground.

They complied. The man punched the ground, reportedly saying he was being stupid. He said he was fleeing because he was recently pulled over for driving under the influence, according to court papers.

A blood-alcohol test showed that he had not been drinking that night, and the man said he hadn’t been using drugs.

The woman said her right arm was hurting. The man had bruising from a seat belt and was quickly released from the hospital.

He remained in jail Monday with bail set to $10,000.

Zachariah Bryan: 425-339-3431; zbryan@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @zachariahtb.