SHORELINE, Wash. — A KIRO 7 crew witnessed a high speed pursuit down Highway 99 that spanned two cities and ended in a crash and manhunt.
Reporter Joanna Small and photographer Jim Waltz were heading north on Aurora Avenue near Edmonds around 11:20 Wednesday morning when they spotted a Prius heading the other direction, swerving into the middle lane and going fast -- and two Edmonds police officers were right behind him.
Seconds later, Edmonds police deemed the chase too dangerous and aborted it.
A KIRO 7 News crew drove by the chase when it was happening. Joanna Small is gathering details for a report at 5 p.m. Watch on-air or online here.
Talked 2 driver who chase suspect rear-ended, saw driver bolt, says cops just found suspect in bushes. @KIRO7Seattle pic.twitter.com/51bVnXqXFF
— Joanna Small (@JoannaKIRO7) September 14, 2016
"We don't engage in a lot of pursuits anymore. We have a pretty restrictive policy for that," explained Sgt. Shane Hawley afterwards.
By the time our crew turned around, the Prius had crashed in Shoreline, the driver had fled and a manhunt was underway.
"He kept coming out [of his hiding places], looking at officers and then running again," Hawley told us.
While the police searched for the suspect — who they said was driving a vehicle stolen in King County — we talked to the driver he hit.
"I was sitting at a stoplight and my back end was full of materials and all of a sudden I shot forward. Somebody smashed into me from behind," explained Lacy Wilkinson, who fortunately drives a large pickup designed to hold up in a collision.
Wilkinson watched the other driver bolt, but he didn't get far.
“I saw two policemen pulling him out of the bushes,” said Wilkinson.
Victim driver now talking w/ @EdmondsPolice. Crash occurred in @ShorelinePolice jurisdiction. @KIRO7Seattle pic.twitter.com/g7rqCLteMS
— Joanna Small (@JoannaKIRO7) September 14, 2016
While the stolen Prius was towed away, our camera captured police and medics checking out the driver. A source told us he may have swallowed drugs to avoid additional charges, but that’s preliminary.
As a witness to the chase, our reporter and photographer wrote down what they knew for certain in the police report. Edmonds police tell us it’s standard procedure that a suspect who's in an accident is taken to the hospital before jail.
They believe in this case the man’s injuries are minor.
Cox Media Group