Woman crashes SUV during police chase

Published 9:24 pm Monday, November 15, 2010

LAKE STEVENS — Police say a 22-year-old woman allegedly driving a stolen SUV crashed into another car Monday morning, sending her and the other driver to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The crash occurred around 5 a.m. in the 10600 block of South Lake Stevens Road.

The SUV matched the description of a car driven by a suspect who was reportedly stealing license plates, Lake Stevens Police Chief Randy Celori said.

When the suspect spotted police, she drove off at a high rate of speed and crashed into the other car, Celori said. The other car was driven by a 23-year-old Lake Stevens woman.

Police were not chasing the driver of the stolen car, Celori said.

Officers caught the woman attempting to run away, Celori said. She slipped on an embankment.

“It was a stolen vehicle with a different set of stolen plates on it,” the police chief said. “It appears she was alone in the car.”

Both women were transported to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett.

The suspect was being treated at the hospital Monday morning. She was later booked into the Snohomish County Jail for auto theft.

Police were continuing their investigation to determine if she may be responsible for other crimes.

“It appears there is stolen property in the vehicle,” Celori said.

Police found a safe in the SUV, Celori said.

Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446; stevick@heraldnet.com.