Woman refuses to pull over, tells trooper: ‘I drive a Prius’

MARYSVILLE — A Washington State Patrol trooper got more than he bargained for when he tried to pull over a woman from Olympia for expired tabs.

The trooper spotted a white hatchback Toyota Prius southbound on I-5 through Marysville Wednesday evening. But when the trooper turned on his emergency lights, the driver “made no reasonable attempt to pull over,” according to the arrest report. She drove about a mile before leaving I-5 and stopping at an intersection.

The trooper then told her over the loudspeaker to get off the road.

She stayed put.

The trooper then approached the driver’s side window and told her again to move off the road. She allegedly said she would not stop until she reached the Bank of America parking lot.

The trooper told the driver to pull over a third time.

“I will not,” she reportedly said. “I drive a Prius. I am not pulling over there.”

The trooper told her a fourth time, according to his written report.

Again, she refused.

Seeing that the driver would not cooperate, the trooper told her to step out of the vehicle. She said no and resisted, according to the report. He then forced her out.

The driver was unhappy.

“I will own your bank account. I will own your house,” she reportedly said.

The trooper asked her name.

“None of your business,” she allegedly said.

The driver told the trooper that she would not pull over to the shoulder because her tires keep popping because her car is a Prius, records show.

The driver, 42, was arrested for investigation of failing to obey instructions, failing to identify herself and for obstruction, all misdemeanors. She was released Thursday night pending trial.

Zachariah Bryan: 425-339-3431; zbryan@heraldnet.com.