Woman rams patrol car after high-speed chase in Lacey area

An Olympia woman was arrested Sunday morning after crashing into two vehicles, including a patrol car, during a high-speed chase.

Bail was set at $2,500 for Heather Lea Hurd, 40, who appeared Monday in Thurston County Superior Court.

Hurd faces felony charges for attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle, second-degree assault and third-degree assault. Misdemeanor charges include driving with a suspended license in the third degree and operating a motor vehicle without insurance. Arraignment is set for Oct. 20.

Court documents give the following account:

Lacey police responded to a “disorderly vehicle complaint” on Willamette Drive Northeast and located a black 1995 Honda Civic in a nearby parking lot. The female driver took off, and the Lacey officer pursued the Civic with his lights and sirens activated.

Thurston County Sheriff’s Office took over the pursuit and attempted to stop the driver, who was driving at a high rate of speed toward the Marvin Road exit at Interstate 5. The driver was weaving back and forth across both lanes.

The suspect locked up her brakes to avoid hitting a white Nissan Altima that was stopped at a red light in the southbound lane of Marvin Road. A deputy had stopped behind the suspect, who then backed up and struck the patrol car, then rammed the Nissan in front, then slammed back and forth into both vehicles again.

Another deputy arrived on the scene and pinned the suspect’s vehicle. The Civic’s front tires were spinning as the suspect tried to push the patrol car backward.

The suspect was ordered out of the car at gunpoint, but refused orders and was eventually extracted. She denied hitting the vehicles, but when shown that the vehicles were still touching, she apologized. When asked if she had insurance, Hurd allegedly replied, “Hell, no! I can’t afford that s--t!”

No injuries were reported. The victim who had been driving the Nissan Altima said she looked in the rearview mirror and saw the suspect’s vehicle approaching at a high speed. At that point, the victim expected the suspect’s vehicle to smash into the back of her Nissan and was surprised when it didn’t.

This story was originally published October 4, 2015 at 1:50 PM with the headline "Woman rams patrol car after high-speed chase in Lacey area."