North Sound News

Homicide suspect in custody after high-speed chase in Snohomish County

Police arrested a Yakima County murder suspect who they said was involved in a high-speed chase that started in Everett Tuesday afternoon and ended in Edmonds with speeds reportedly exceeding 100 mph.

Numerous cars were damaged by the suspect vehicle and police cruisers during the chase, according to Everett police, who said four of their officers were involved in crashes, none serious.

No one was hurt in the crashes, but an officer was taken to the hospital as a precaution, police said.

"I was stunned,” said a pregnant mother who told KIRO 7 an officer sideswiped her car during the chase in Edmonds.

"I felt something hit my car and one of the officers in the pursuit actually hit the side and mirror of my car,” she said. "Had I been actually driving and had he hit me, at that rate of speed, it could've been much worse."

Investigators identified the murder suspect as 24-year-old Hector Garcia-Ceja Jr. The Yakima County Sheriff’s Office said Garcia-Ceja Jr. was wanted in connection to a drug-related murder in Granger, Wash.

Garcia-Ceja Jr. was the passenger in the car during the chase, according to police, who said they had knowledge from Yakima investigators about the suspect being in the area along with a suspect vehicle description.

Police said officers spotted the suspects’ white Acura around 4:20 p.m. at Seventh Avenue SE and SE Everett Mall Way and attempted to stop the driver.

The driver, a 39-year-old man, refused to stop and led officers on a multi-agency chase, from city streets to I-5, that ended in a parking lot near Highway 99 and 220th Street SW in Edmonds, police said.

A KIRO 7 reporter covering an unrelated homicide in Everett recorded cellphone video of the chase that she said passed the murder scene several times.

"Typically, we don't pursue vehicles,” said Everett police spokesperson Aaron Snell. “In this case, there was a clear, clear danger to the community."

The murder suspect and driver bailed from the car in Edmonds and ran, but both were caught nearby, police said.

"It was like a bad movie scene,” said witness Doug Miller.

Police said Garcia-Ceja Jr. will be transported to Yakima County in connection to the April 12 Granger murder.

The driver was booked into jail on suspicion of hit-and-run and eluding, police said.

More news from KIRO 7

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