A suspect in a stolen car case was arrested after a dramatic pursuit and rescue involving a drone and a K9 team in Olympia, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident began on Christmas Day when Olympia Police identified a stolen vehicle from Seattle. The suspect ran away on foot and evaded capture at the time, but officers obtained a photo of him.
The situation escalated Thursday night when a 911 caller reported their car was stolen on the West Side of Olympia.
Olympia police located the stolen vehicle driving recklessly on Martin Way but did not initiate a traffic stop.
The information was relayed to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office and a deputy spotted the vehicle still driving erratically.
When the driver refused to pull over, a pursuit began northbound on Interstate 5.
The chase ended near the Marvin Road exit when the vehicle turned onto a dead-end road and crashed into a guardrail by the beach. The suspect ran away on foot through a swamp.
K9 Mac, called in from home, joined the search along with Lacey Police, Olympia Police, and TCSO deputies.
A deputy operating a new infrared-equipped drone located a heat signature about 50 feet up in a tree hanging over a cliff with a 200-foot drop to the water below.
K9 Mac convinced the suspect to climb down, and authorities confirmed he was the same individual from the earlier car theft.
The suspect is now in custody and faces charges of auto theft from the Olympia Police Department and eluding law enforcement from TCSO.
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