SUV crashes into Lacey house at end of chase that reached 125 mph
The driver of a stolen SUV led Yelm police on a chase early Thursday that ended when the driver lost control and crashed onto the roof of a house in Lacey, police say.
About 2 a.m. Thursday, a Yelm Police officer noticed a black SUV without a license plate headed west on the 1500 block of West Yelm Avenue and tried to make a traffic stop, Assistant Chief Rob Carlson told The Olympian. But the SUV took off and turned its lights off shortly thereafter.
Speeds during the pursuit ranged from 80 to 125 miles per hour, according to a press release from the police department.
According to reports, Carlson said, it appears the driver of the SUV continued west onto State Route 510 and ultimately exited onto Yelm Highway Southeast at the roundabout near the Nisqually Jail.
At the curve where Yelm Highway turns into Ruddell Road, the driver, going about 120 miles per hour, lost control, and the SUV hit an unattended vehicle, launched into the air, and landed on the roof of a house before falling off the roof onto its wheels, Carlson said.
The SUV, the unattended vehicle, and the house were damaged. The SUV driver was the only person injured, according to Carlson.
The driver — a 31-year-old man — was extracted from the SUV and arrested on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle, eluding police, third-degree driving with license suspended, and multiple warrants before he was transported to Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia for treatment.
He was released from the hospital around 8:30 a.m., Carlson said, but was not booked into the Thurston County jail because they were not able to provide appropriate care. Charges will be referred to the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
This story was originally published January 2, 2020 at 10:56 AM.
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