KENT — 18-year-old Isaiah Bolar is being held in the King County Jail facing charges as investigators believe he was at least partially responsible for the murder of Connor Overstreet, a Coast Guardsman shot and killed in Skyway on Aug. 23.
Bolar was arrested on Oct. 1 in Covington, the second time he was arrested since Overstreet’s death.
Overstreet’s family had raised tens of thousands of dollars to help King County Crime Stoppers generate a reward of $30,000. His family reacted to the arrest on social media saying they “want to express their sincere gratitude to all of you who have been supporting us through this truly terrible crime.”
“While true justice is not possible because nothing can bring Connor back, we will hope and fight for a conviction to create room for healing,” they wrote on social media.
Documents say Overstreet was riding Lime scooters with friends when words were exchanged with two people in a dark colored Toyota Prius.
“In the current case, the defendant either shot and killed or assisted or encouraged the shooting of an unarmed man, who simply approached the vehicle containing the defendant in hopes of peacefully resolving a minor argument,” Donald Raz, a senior prosecuting attorney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, wrote in the charging documents.
King County Sheriff’s Office detectives say they reviewed surveillance video near the scene from homes and businesses.
“Voices could be heard telling someone to ‘pull over’ and ‘come here,’ including, ‘Come on, little Prius boy,’” detectives wrote. “Headlight movement was consistent with a U-turn, although, the turn itself was not visible in the footage.”
The footage showed the Prius’ “distinctive” rims and was enough for them to post a bulletin of the vehicle for other agencies to be on the lookout for.
According to the Kent Police Department, a FLOCK camera alerted officers to the suspect’s car on Aug. 25. They were also aware of the bulletin. When Kent Police tried to pull the car over, it fled --only coming to a stop after spike strips were deployed. The car was also reported to be stolen.
Kent police found a backpack with a gun. Bolar was arrested for attempting to elude, but was released on Aug. 26, after prosecutors pushed for a $20,000 bail. With just an alluding charge that Bolar was facing and no previous criminal cases, Bolar was released.
Casey McNerthney, the communications director with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, says the “prosecutor did not have an indication from investigators” that the eluding case was related to Overstreet’s homicide.
“I think, if prosecutors had known that, the bail request would have been higher than the $20,000 that we sought,” McNerthy said. “But sometimes those things develop after time. I’m sure the police would have told us right away if they had known.”
Processing of the firearm recovered on Aug. 25 was completed by the Washington State Crime Lab on Sept. 28 -- officially connecting it to Overstreet’s death. On Oct. 1, Bolar was arrested at a neighborhood in Covington. His neighbor, Anatoliy Tytarchuk, filmed the several SWAT cars that took him into custody. Tytarchuk says he had done electrical work in the family’s home before.
“I was surprised, because I know them as good people,” Tytarchuk said. “I always see them out here, we always talk, you know? I didn’t expect that.”
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