EVERETT — A driver of a suspect vehicle who reportedly fled an attempted traffic stop by Marysville police officers was stopped and arrested Tuesday morning in Everett, temporarily shutting down part of 41st Street.
Around 11:20 a.m., the vehicle exited southbound I-5 onto the 41st Street off-ramp, where it was reportedly smoking and showed signs of significant damage. The driver was transported to a hospital to be treated for his injuries, according to Everett police spokesperson Natalie Given. Marysville police said the driver appeared to suffer a significant leg injury caused by a mechanical malfunction inside the car.
The incident began the night before when the Bothell Police Department attempted to stop the vehicle and it fled, giving officers probable cause for eluding, according to Marysville police spokesperson TJ San Miguel. That information was passed along to Marysville officers, who later located the vehicle Tuesday morning.
To avoid a high-speed pursuit, a Marysville officer deployed a StarChase device — a GPS tracker launched from a patrol vehicle — before turning on emergency lights or sirens. The department has about five of the devices, which are used to safely track vehicles without chasing them, Miguel said.
At some point, another agency reportedly deployed spike strips, which successfully deflated at least one of the vehicle’s tires, Miguel said. Despite the damage, the vehicle continued to drive, resulting in what police described as a significant mechanical issue.
Marysville officers and Everett officers were able to track the vehicle originally wanted by Bothell police.
There was no crash and no pursuit intervention technique used, police said. The vehicle had reportedly eluded several other nearby law enforcement agencies in the past 12 hours.
All westbound lanes of 41st Street were closed Tuesday after the driver was stopped.
Aspen Anderson: 425-339-3192; aspen.anderson@heraldnet.com; X: @aspenwanderson.
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