WSP: Driver who followed woman had gloves, duct tape in car

PIERCE COUNTY, Washington — A Bonney Lake woman may have been saved from a possible abduction, assault or worse Friday when Washington State Patrol troopers arrested a man she said was following her and found a disguise and duct tape in his car.

The 26-year-old woman dialed 911 on Friday afternoon and said she was being followed by a man in a black BMW on State Route 512 near the Puyallup Fair Grounds, the State Patrol said. She told dispatchers she was “afraid” to pull over and that she’d first noticed the BMW following her on Interstate 5 near Joint Base Lewis-McChord. She said the vehicle followed her all the way down to State Route 410.

The woman told dispatchers where she was headed, while troopers moved into place to intercept the BMW.

When a trooper pulled in behind the BMW, it made a swift turn into a grocery store parking lot, the State Patrol said. A trooper then pulled the vehicle over and confronted the man inside.

The man said he was going to “meet a friend” at a restaurant, but when he was asked what his friend’s name was, he said, “I don’t know, I got to call her,” the State Patrol said.

Troopers identified the driver as 28-year-old Aaron M. Johnson of Lakewood.

Upon further investigation, it was revealed that the 26-year-old woman had a protection order against Johnson, which stemmed from a domestic violence incident last month in Lacey, the State Patrol said.

Johnson was arrested in that incident on charges including first-degree burglary while armed with a deadly weapon, first-degree kidnapping while armed with a deadly weapon, first-degree rape while armed with a deadly weapon and felony harassment. He was able to post bail and was released from the Thurston County Jail on May 29.

When troopers searched his vehicle Friday, they found a woman’s wig, some oversized sunglasses, a pair of black gloves and a roll of duct tape, the State Patrol said.

Troopers noted in a news release that “this is an ongoing investigation and only Johnson knows what his plans were, but one thing is for sure; this young lady is safe and sound with him behind bars.”

Police arrested Johnson after the incident Friday and booked him into the Pierce County Jail for violating the protection order.

KIRO