The incident, which took place in Kent, Washington, has sparked a police investigation. However, due to restrictions imposed on police pursuits by the Democratic-controlled legislature in Washington, officers were unable to chase the suspect.
The incident unfolded at 6:55 am when Kent police received reports of a driver abandoning a truck and trailer in a ditch near 12000 SE 236th ST. En route to the scene, an officer spotted another truck hauling an excavator on a trailer on SE 234th. The vehicle was driving erratically, with the excavator's boom arm fully extended, causing it to strike a stop sign.
December 27, 2023
The officer, however, was unable to pursue the truck due to the legislative restrictions on police pursuits. Despite this, the officer observed the truck struggling to control the swerving trailer. Shortly thereafter, the trailer and excavator rolled over and detached from the truck. The driver briefly exited the vehicle before reentering and fleeing the scene, with officers once again unable to pursue due to the restrictions.
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Upon investigating the crash site, officers discovered a 29-year-old male with severe head and chest injuries, believed to have been on the trailer or excavator during the rollover. Despite immediate CPR and medical aid provided by the officers and subsequent care by Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority Fire Fighters and Medics, the man tragically succumbed to his injuries. A stolen firearm was also found in his possession.
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The abandoned truck used in the incident was later found near 116th AV and SE 208th St. It was determined that the truck, along with the trailer and excavator, had been stolen in Kent earlier that day. The suspect remains at large and is described as a male aged 25-30, approximately 5'08" to 5'10", weighing around 170 pounds, and was last seen wearing a high visibility vest or jacket.
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This incident comes in the wake of the citizen action group, Let's Go Washington, submitting over 400,000 signatures to the Washington Secretary of State’s office. The group aims to have Initiative 2113 placed on the ballot, which would restore the ability of police to pursue suspects based on "reasonable suspicion". This policy was removed by the Democratic-controlled Washington Legislature following the George Floyd protests in 2020.
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The current law, HH 1054, requires "probable cause", meaning that unless police witness a crime, they cannot pursue suspects and most vehicular pursuits are prohibited. This law has been exploited by suspects, some of whom have even called 911 during pursuits to demand that police cease their chase due to the legislation.
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