A traffic accident involving four cars on the 20000 block of Aurora Avenue N. occurred Nov. 24 when the driver of a stolen car collided with three other cars after a car chase, according to police officials.
One serious injury was reported during the accident, which also involved the suspect attempting to hijack several cars. The car chase, which began around 3 p.m., closed the northbound lanes on Aurora Avenue N. for about four hours.
“All this happened inside of about two minutes,” said traffic unit sergeant Kevin Fagerstrom. “It was very traumatic; I am very thankful that none of the other individuals in the other cars were hurt.”
According to police chief Tony Burtt, a car was stolen from Seattle earlier that day, and after a car chase with police, the driver spun out of control and collided with three other cars.
Fagerstrom was working a radar traffic complaint on 192nd Street when a gold Volkswagen Jetta entered the radar stream going 38 mph. After attempting to pull the car over, it accelerated rapidly.
“I activated my lights to pull him over,” Fagerstrom said. “It became immediately clear he was refusing to stop.”
The car then headed northbound on Aurora. Since the northbound lanes were full, the driver headed north in southbound lanes.
Due to the presence of police lights and sirens, Fagerstrom said drivers were able to successfully maneuver out of the way.
The driver then swerved into northbound traffic in an attempt to escape, but ended up back in the southbound lanes, approaching the intersection north of 200th Street.
Due to a green light in the southbound lanes, Fagerstrom said the suspect had no place to go, saw an opening in the northbound lanes and jumped the concrete median. Traveling at excessive speeds, the driver lost control of the car and struck the first of three vehicles.
“The first he hit so hard it was launched into the air and spun around 180 degrees,” Fagerstrom said. “It then struck a second vehicle, which struck a third vehicle.”
The suspect’s car then crashed into several mailboxes and a power pole, coming to a rest in front of a commercial store building on the east shoulder of Aurora Avenue N.
Stopping his police car, Fagerstrom checked the other drivers for serious injuries, and saw the suspect, in his 20s, kick his car door open, exit the vehicle, and head off running northbound. Fagerstrom followed in foot pursuit.
The suspect then ran up to a car at a red light at the intersection at 200th Street, opened the door and attempted to commandeer the car. Since the driver was seat-belted in, the suspect was unable to take control. The suspect then exited the car and attempted to hijack another car.
Fagerstrom drew his fire arm and directed the suspect to stop. The suspect then ran eastbound down 200th Street and jumped a fence into the Costco parking lot.
An officer stationed in the back of the lot discovered the suspect attempting a third car jacking, and took him into custody.
Fagerstrom said when he headed back to the scene of the accident, a woman ran around the corner in his direction. Due to several citizens waiving their arms and pointing at her, he realized she was the passenger of the stolen car.
“Based upon citizens drawing attention to her, I tried to take her into custody,” Fagerstrom said. “She struggled, a fight broke out, and a second deputy arrived to help.”
The woman, in her 20s, was tazered, then taken into custody along with the male suspect. Both were taken to Harborview Medical Center, examined, and booked into jail for possession of a stolen car, felony flight, felony vehicular assault, felony hit and run and robbery.
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