MARYSVILLE — “He won’t shoot,” said one suspect to the other. “Run him over.”
The pair had dropped one of four stolen $410 DeWalt nail guns as they hustled to a Honda in the parking lot of Coastal Farm & Ranch in Marysville, according to recently filed charges.
They were followed by a Marysville man, 51, who blocked the car’s path around 2 p.m. Dec. 22. He held a gun in a low-ready position and yelled at the thieves to stop. The customer told police he heard the passenger say to hit the gas. But a small crowd surrounded the green Honda.
Initial witness accounts suggested up to six people pulled out firearms. Marysville detectives have only been able to confirm three people had guns, police Cmdr. Mark Thomas said Friday.
The customers took aim.
“They aren’t going to shoot,” the passenger said in his version of the story. “What the (expletive) are you doing! We need to get out of here!”
According to the charges, the driver recalled the quote differently: “They aren’t going to kill us, (expletive) go!”
The Honda’s motor revved. One customer fired at the driver’s side front tire. Another customer shot two rounds at the rear tire on the same side. The driver tapped the gas pedal, upending the Marysville man onto the hood, according to the charges. The man wasn’t seriously hurt. He didn’t fire a shot, according to his report. The shooters haven’t come forward to detectives. Police still hope to get their side of the story.
Tips can be directed to 360-363-8350.
Police have no plans to recommend charges against the Marysville man.
A Coastal employee raced outside from behind the gun counter. He saw a car with flat tires fleeing the lot. People threw things at the Honda, he told police. The worker chased the Honda in his own vehicle, but he said he stopped when he saw the passenger lean out the window with what looked like a gun. The suspects later denied having a firearm and noted the windows are hard to roll down on the Honda, according to police reports.
The pair drove about three blocks on flat tires, then they ditched the car.
Quickly, police found the vehicle near two DeWalt nail guns, as well as the suspected passenger, 22, of Everett.
The driver changed clothes, the charges say. He ran a few blocks, knocked on a front door and got no answer. He ducked behind a bush and hid from the sirens until he saw a police dog coming for him. He surrendered. The gunfire, he said, “scared the crap out of me.”
The two men planned to pawn the stolen goods to feed drug addictions, according to their interviews with police. The driver also needed to make a payment on his newly purchased Honda. He has posted $10,000 bond. Charges haven’t been filed against him.
The passenger was still in the Snohomish County Jail on Friday, with bail set at $15,000. He’s charged with second-degree assault. Both men told officers they were addicted to fentanyl pills that look like Percocet.
In November, the Everett man had been charged with stealing thousands of dollars in video games from Target stores in Lynnwood, Lake Stevens, Marysville and Everett.
In the same case, he was charged with taking the keys to a Chevrolet Suburban from his sleeping roommate, who had just hired him at an ice cream shop.
Mill Creek police found the suspect weeks later outside of a McDonald’s, standing by the stolen Chevy. In the SUV, officers counted about a dozen clear plastic security cases — each about the size of a video game box — as well as two empty shopping baskets from Target.
Caleb Hutton: 425-339-3454; chutton@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @snocaleb.
