SPANAWAY, Wash. — A 22-year-old wanted man is behind bars after Pierce County deputies said he violently stole a truck from a man outside a Parkland-area gym, then led law enforcement on a chase through Spanaway before being found hiding under a vehicle.
The strong-arm robbery happened around 4:55 a.m. Monday, in the parking lot of LA Fitness at 15707 Pacific Avenue South, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said the victim had just pulled into a parking stall to work out and had not yet turned off his newer Ford Maverick pickup when the unknown suspect suddenly opened the door, used force to pull him out of the driver’s seat, and drove off in the truck.
Because the victim’s phone was inside the stolen truck, his wife called 911 from home to report the robbery. Deputies arrived within about five to 10 minutes and found the victim still in the LA Fitness parking lot. An extensive search was launched, but the suspect and the truck were not immediately located. The suspect was last seen heading southbound on Pacific Avenue.
Community tips and social media sightings
As the day went on, the case gained traction on social media and popular local auto theft task force sites, where the stolen truck was widely shared.
The sheriff’s office said multiple callers reported seeing the Ford Maverick in different parts of Spanaway, including along Eighth Avenue East.
Those tips helped keep the truck on law enforcement’s radar as the investigation continued.
Truck spotted, pursuit through Spanaway
At around 5 p.m., a detective in an unmarked vehicle spotted the stolen truck in the Spanaway Lake Park area and saw a suspect standing nearby.
The detective called in marked patrol units to help contact the suspect. But as the marked vehicles approached, the suspect allegedly jumped back into the stolen truck and sped away, triggering a pursuit.
Deputies said the chase wound through the Pacific Avenue South corridor, shopping center parking lots, and nearby streets including A Street and B Street. A PIT maneuver was eventually used to bring the truck to a stop off a side street.
Foot chase and arrest
After the vehicle was disabled, deputies said the suspect ran from the truck, leading to a foot pursuit through several residential backyards. The man eventually tried to hide by crawling underneath a vehicle, but deputies found him shortly afterward and took him into custody.
Investigators confirmed he was the same man suspected of pulling the victim from his truck during the early-morning robbery at LA Fitness.
Prior warrants and new charges
The sheriff’s office said the 22-year-old suspect already had felony Department of Corrections warrants, including: escape from community custody, assault in the third degree (no bail), additional warrants for assault in the fourth degree, and malicious mischief in the third degree.
He is now being booked on a new slate of charges, including: robbery, possession of stolen property, attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, driving while license suspended in the second degree, and obstructing a law enforcement officer.
No injuries to the victim or deputies were reported in connection with the incident.
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