A 39-year-old man was arrested early this morning after allegedly leading Clark County sheriff’s deputies on a pursuit near the Barberton area, and repeatedly trying to crash into patrol vehicles.
At about 7:45 a.m. a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officer attempted to stop a black Infiniti that was driving erratically in the 16400 block of Northeast 72nd Avenue, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
The same vehicle was also reported to 911 for suspected DUI minutes earlier in the area of Northeast St. Johns Road and Northeast 88th Street.
The driver refused to stop and went down a private driveway, where he drove around houses, into yards and fields, and toward the Fish and Wildlife officer, the news release states.
Deputies responded and located the Infiniti driving on Northeast 72nd Avenue. The vehicle intentionally drove toward a patrol vehicle, prompting the deputy to swerve to avoid colliding. The Infiniti then drove toward a second patrol vehicle; that deputy also avoided crashing, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Infiniti then sped off down a private driveway in the 16600 block of Northeast 72nd Avenue and drove into a hay field to the east of 72nd Avenue.
Deputies pursued the suspect vehicle and used a Pursuit Intervention Technique, or PIT, maneuver to stop the vehicle. The driver, identified as Michael D. Benjamin, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of first-degree assault, attempting to elude and driving under the influence, the news release states.
Deputies attempted to contact area residents but were unsuccessful. Anyone with information about the incident or whose property was damaged should contact Deputy Jack Phane at jack.phane@clark.wa.gov.
