SEATTLE — This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
The man accused of stealing a Washington State Patrol (WSP) trooper’s vehicle on Christmas Day has been found incompetent to stand trial.
The suspect, 24-year-old Alexander Eugene Smith, is charged in King County with second-degree robbery and attempting to elude a police vehicle.
On Monday, the court ordered Smith to a first period of competency restoration, with a return date of April 30, according to Casey McNerthney, a spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
“A lot of people hear that and think, ‘Does that mean that the criminal case is dismissed?’ No, it doesn’t,” McNerthney said. “It means that there’s a competency restoration period, and there can be up to three of those. And it can take several months, but that does not mean the criminal cases are dismissed.”
Bodycam video shows suspect steal WSP vehicle
Bodycam video shows WSP troopers spending several minutes trying to coax a man off I-5 near Seattle’s Northgate neighborhood on Christmas Day before he bolted into traffic, allegedly threw a lieutenant to the pavement, and sped away in her patrol SUV.
Radio traffic captured on the bodycam audio showed troopers trying to relocate the stolen SUV as it headed north out of Seattle.
Units reported losing sight of the vehicle near Shoreline because of trees and curves. Dispatchers called out freeway cameras and exits as they tried to track the SUV’s path. Then, troopers in Snohomish County spotted the unmarked WSP vehicle.
“We’re continuing southbound. Alderwood Mall Parkway, approaching Beech Road. Speed 61 miles an hour,” one trooper called out, describing a loop through Lynnwood city streets after the stolen SUV exited the freeway near 196th Street Southwest.
The patrol SUV turned onto Alderwood Mall Boulevard, then onto 44th Avenue West, then back toward southbound I-5.
“Getting back onto southbound I-5 right now,” a trooper reported, as speeds reached about 80 miles an hour south of Lynnwood.
Command staff authorized a Pursuit Intervention Technique, commonly known as a PIT maneuver, to spin the stolen SUV and end the chase.
“He just dodged me. Attempting again,” a pursuing trooper said before another unit reported a successful PIT.
Stolen SUV stopped in PIT maneuver
Video and audio from the scene showed the stolen patrol SUV spinning and coming to a stop near the freeway after the PIT.
“Back up, back up, back up!” a trooper yelled as several patrol vehicles boxed in the SUV with lights flashing.
Multiple troopers rushed to the driver’s side with guns drawn.
“Get out of the car! Get out of the f***ing car! Put your hands up!” they shouted.
The driver, later identified as Smith, got out. Troopers ordered him to the ground and moved in to handcuff him. A Taser was deployed during the struggle. One trooper later told a colleague he saw several Taser probes in Smith’s body, although only two made complete contact.
“You better stay still,” one trooper warned as they secured him and requested medical aid.
Within moments, Smith was in custody and seated on the ground. County deputies and medics arrived to assist.
Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.