EVERETT – A Seattle man who allegedly led police on a wild chase after an armed carjacking last week was charged Tuesday with first-degree robbery and attempting to elude police officers.
Eric M. Johnson II, 24, was being held on $250,000 bail after his arrest at the Everett Mall. He’s one of two people captured after the wild spree, in which police officers fired shots at and wounded one of them.
The charge was filed in Everett District Court. Deputy prosecutor John Adcock has until Aug. 10 to bring the case to Snohomish County Superior Court, where felony charges are handled.
The second suspect, a 31-year-old Everett man, remained in Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he is undergoing treatment for gunshot wounds he suffered after a second carjacking and police chase from the Everett Mall to a shopping center on 132nd Street SE.
Adcock said it’s likely the man will remain in the hospital a few more days.
The rush-hour police pursuit, robberies and shooting caused accidents and other chaos on the roadways between Lake Stevens, Everett and Mill Creek, and panic at the mall and Fred Meyer shopping center on 132nd Street SE.
It all started with a car prowl in Lake Stevens, followed by a police chase of a pickup truck to the U.S. 2 trestle east of Everett where the fleeing truck stalled.
At that point, the men allegedly stole a woman’s Mazda at gunpoint and raced off. When they were spotted again in south Everett, officers in cars and a police helicopter followed them to the Everett Mall.
Two men bailed out and ran, allegedly still carrying guns. One of them hijacked a pickup truck and sped off. An officer fired a single shot in the direction of the fleeing truck.
Johnson was arrested at the mall.
Johnson later told police that he initially didn’t stop for officers because he has a suspended driver’s license and didn’t want to go to jail on that misdemeanor charge, according to court documents.
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