Stanwood man allegedly stole a WSP vehicle to get home for Christmas
Published 2:02 pm Wednesday, December 31, 2025
EVERETT — A Stanwood man who said he didn’t want to take the light rail home from Seattle on Christmas allegedly took a Washington State Patrol vehicle instead, troopers said.
The 24-year-old allegedly pulled a Washington State Patrol lieutenant from her patrol vehicle on Christmas and drove off, according to court documents. Law enforcement pursued him on I-5 until he was arrested near Lynnwood.
Around 8:53 a.m. Dec. 25, a trooper responded to reports of a pedestrian walking in the roadway on northbound I-5 near 85th Street in Seattle, according to court documents. After being contacted by a trooper, the pedestrian agreed to wait elsewhere.
Around two hours later, troopers responded to additional reports of the pedestrian walking in the roadway. Troopers assisted the man in crossing the lanes and followed him in their patrol car as he walked towards the exit ramp, court documents said.
While walking, the man stopped to sit on a guardrail. A trooper offered to drive him to the light rail and pay for his fare, but he refused, court documents said. When he began walking again, the man suddenly turned and ran across the northbound lanes, entered the southbound lanes, then re-entered the northbound lanes, almost being struck by multiple vehicles in the process.
The man reportedly replied, “No,” when troopers commanded him to stop, court documents said. He then approached an unmarked patrol vehicle on the scene, opening the driver’s door. When the trooper began to exit the vehicle to talk with the suspect, he grabbed her arm and pulled her from the vehicle, throwing her to the ground.
He then climbed inside the patrol vehicle and locked the doors, preventing the trooper from re-entering the vehicle. He began driving north toward Snohomish County with the emergency lights active, court documents said.
Troopers caught up to the suspect as he exited at Alderwood Mall Parkway in Lynnwood, before he entered southbound I-5. Troopers attempted a Pursuit Immobilization Technique, which successfully rotated the patrol car, until he regained control of the vehicle and began driving north in the southbound lanes, court documents said.
One trooper positioned his patrol vehicle to block the suspect and struck the driver’s side door of the stolen vehicle, court documents said. The trooper sustained a nosebleed from the air bag deployment.
The suspect refused medical treatment, court documents said. Law enforcement searched the suspect and discovered two glass pipes used to smoke methamphetamine. He allegedly told first responders he had smoked meth.
During an interview with law enforcement, he said he had gotten stuck in Seattle and did not want to take the light rail home, so he decided to take the patrol vehicle home, court documents said.
On Tuesday, King County prosecutors charged him with second-degree robbery and attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle.
The court set his bond at $300,000, the amount initially requested by prosecutors, according to King County Prosecutors’ Office spokesperson Douglas Wagoner in an email. In charging documents, prosecutors wrote that there is a likelihood he would fail to comply with the court order, citing two 2025 bench warrants in Marysville Municipal Court. He has no prior felony convictions, but multiple misdemeanor convictions.
His next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 5.
Jenna Millikan: 425-339-3035; jenna.millikan@heraldnet.com. X: @JennaMillikan
