EVERETT — A high-speed chase between two teens in a stolen car and a Washington State Patrol trooper ended in a crash that killed an Everett man.
Michael J. Waterman, 29, died late Monday night after a 19-year-old man ran a red light at the intersection of Highway 526 and SE Everett Mall Way and slammed into the driver’s side of Waterman’s car, according to court papers.
Thomas Bradley Schuerenberg was being held for investigation of second-degree murder, driving a stolen car and attempting to flee from a State Patrol trooper.
He’s also charged with attempting to elude a police vehicle in an unrelated Sept. 22 arrest. Schuerenberg was charged two weeks ago with possessing drug paraphernalia and not having a valid driver’s license.
He appeared Tuesday in Everett District Court before Doug Fair, judge pro tem, where deputy prosecutor Jim Townsend asked for $200,000 bail for Schuerenberg.
According to court documents, about 11 p.m. the trooper told his dispatcher that he was following a vehicle westbound on Airport Road, and it failed to stop when the trooper tried to pull it over.
The car didn’t stop for red traffic signals at Beverly Park Road and at a road leading to Kasch Memorial Park, documents said. Speeds reached 100 mph, papers said.
The next time the trooper radioed his dispatch center, he was approaching SE Everett Mall Way and saw the collision.
Schuerenberg and his 18-year-old passenger were ordered out of the vehicle and taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries.
The passenger had facial fractures. Schuerenberg had some injuries to his hands and scrapes to the top of his left shoulder, according to documents.
At the hospital, Schuerenberg told his father that "he was afraid to hit the brakes because he thought the car would slide" out of control, documents said. "He said he thought the (Waterman) car would see him coming and see the police car lights and stop."
Troopers found what they described as a "suspicious" powder substance in the Toyota Camry.
The State Patrol and the Everett Police Department are investigating the crash.
Patrol Capt. Glenn Cramer said preliminary reports indicate that the trooper, who graduated from the patrol academy in July, did not violate any patrol policies or procedures.
"Our hearts and prayers go out the Waterman family. We will do a very exhaustive and thorough investigation into the events leading up to the collision. We take this, and every pursuit, very seriously," Cramer said.
The trooper is not on paid administrative leave but is taking some time off, he said.
Waterman was driving home from his job at the Everett Mall, said his sister, Lisa Barrett, 35, of Alaska. He was less than five blocks away from his home when his car was hit, she said.
She described her brother as friendly and popular and said he was known for his great sense of humor.
"He would make jokes that would make everybody laugh," she said. "He was an awesome guy."
The State Patrol trooper should have realized that the pursuit posed a danger, she said, and called it off or shut down the road.
"I feel that if the police officer had backed off at all, maybe this wouldn’t have happened," she said. "In a situation like this, he should have stopped the pursuit."
Since the end of October, troopers have involved in 236 pursuits. About 16 percent of those have involved stolen vehicles. Cramer did not know how many of those pursuits ended in crashes.
Schuerenberg also appeared Tuesday in Snohomish County Superior Court for the earlier eluding charge. He was supposed to have returned for arraignment in November, but didn’t show up. On Tuesday, bail for that charge was set at $100,000.
Schuerenberg pleaded innocent, and a Jan. 30 trial date was set for the earlier incident. No trial date was set in connection with Monday night’s fatal collision.
Reporter Jim Haley: 425-339-3447 or haley@heraldnet.com.
Reporter Diana Hefley:
425-339-3463 or
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