Officers have arrested a 38-year-old man who fled from Bremerton police in his car and led them on a high-speed chase to Gorst before crashing head-on into another vehicle.
The incident began about 12:40 p.m. today when the suspect was confronted by a plain-clothes Bremerton police officer at an auto parts store on Kitsap Way. The suspect was trying to return some parts using documentation that appeared fraudulent.
When confronted by the officer, the suspect ran and jumped into a
red Ford Escort. He headed south on Wycoff Avenue and wound his way
to Highway 3.
The suspect headed south toward Gorst, leading officers on a chase that reached speeds of up to 80 mph.
After reaching Gorst, the suspect swerved onto Anderson Hill Road, then turned around and headed back onto Highway 3. He turned into the opposing northbound lanes of traffic, then slammed head-on into a Ford minivan.
The driver of the minivan, who asked that his name not be released, received only minor injuries. He said he saw the suspect’s car heading straight for him, but he couldn’t get out of the way. So he braced himself for the impact.
After the crash, the suspect ran from the scene to an abandoned house.
The suspect was apprehended with assistance from Bremerton police dog Tabor and his handler, Bremerton officer Brian Johnson.
Port Orchard police and Washington State Patrol troopers assisted in the arrest.
The suspect was treated at the scene for minor injuries from dog bites.
He now is being held in Kitsap County jail on $100,000 bail.
The identity of the suspect has not been released, but police said he has three outstanding warrants against him and his driver’s license has been suspended since 1990.
Authorities said the bail amount could be increased due to the number of warrants.
