BELLEVUE, Wash. — Bellevue Police arrested a man on Friday morning after they say he opened a woman's car door while she was on her way to work, grabbed her and told her to get out of the car.
Samantha Quiles told police she was driving north on 124th Avenue NE near NE 8th Street around 6:20 a.m. when a man on the sidewalk threw two traffic cones in the street in front of her car. She was forced to stop. The woman said the man pounded on her car.
According to investigators, she rolled down the window on the passenger side and yelled to the man to ask what he was doing. She turned right on NE 8th and pulled over to call police, that's when she said the man started running after the car, approached the driver's side of the car and opened the door.
"I was scared. At that moment I thought my door was locked. He just pulled it open. I lunged like this and he grabs my arm and says 'get the (expletive) out of the car'," said Samantha Quiles. "I'm scared for my life. I don't know if he's going to hurt me or want to take my car. I don't know what his intentions were, if he was armed or if he was on something."
The incident was caught on City of Bellevue traffic cameras. The woman fought back by slamming the car door on his arm and got away. She called 911.
Police brought in a dog to search for the suspect and found him about an hour later at a construction site about a block away.
"When we arrested the suspect it appeared he was under the influence of some sort of narcotic. He told us he was a homeless person and that he was agitated by the driver yelling at him, " said Bellevue Police Officer Seth Tyler.
Police say to be sure to drive with your car doors locked. Quiles told KIRO-7 she thought the doors were locked. She thinks it is possible she accidentally unlocked the doors when she rolled down the window to ask the man what he was doing.
The suspect was arrested for investigation of assault.
More news from KIRO 7
- Before Pac-12 Championship, UW's Myles Gaskin fulfills fan's 'last wish'
- Marriage license clerk doesn't believe man when he tells her New Mexico is really a state
- Police: Suspect told victim 'This is what happens to white people ...'
- Missing 2-year-old last seen playing near Skagit River
- Do you have an investigative story tip? Send us an email at investigate@kiro7.com
Cox Media Group
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/L4IGXEIABZHX7GJ3YYEM5NE35M.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/5PATZG4OJFE2LHPYKSTHF7JWIE.jpg)
:quality(70)/d1hfln2sfez66z.cloudfront.net/03-07-2024/t_a04eea43993e4d4a91177d329640b460_name_Tran_6p_Everett_Woman_homicide_LL_pkg_frame_22938.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/WJVERMTCKFHFPBF2LNONHSDB4M.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/FXTUNGOH5JDMRLTAWC4BG3TTEY.jpg)