Troopers tracked a stolen vehicle from Vancouver to Auburn on Friday afternoon after the driver allegedly brandished a firearm at other drivers on Interstate 5.
Washington State Patrol Communications in Vancouver received 911 calls shortly after noon about a driver of a Toyota Camry brandishing a firearm on I-5, according to an agency news release.
Troopers located the car and tried to stop it, but it fled. Troopers did not pursue the Camry. They learned the license plate showed the vehicle was stolen and involved in two shootings Monday in Portland, the news release states.
State Patrol aircraft began tracking the Camry as it continued north on I-5. The aircraft followed the vehicle to Auburn, where it pulled into a Heritage Bank ATM drive-thru. Troopers were able to take the suspect into custody there, according to the news release.
Detectives said they plan to search the car and retrieve the gun that was in plain view on the floorboard of the car.
The suspect, who was not identified in the news release, was booked into the King County Jail on suspicion of felony eluding and possession of stolen property. The investigation is ongoing and more charges are possible, the State Patrol said.
“This is a tremendous example of coordination from WSP districts as this vehicle headed north from Vancouver. The Aviation Section of the WSP played such a vital role in tracking this vehicle so troopers did not have to pursue,” the news release reads. “This was an awesome job with Districts 5, 1 and 2, as there was seamless communication and coordination with the aircraft to ultimately bring this to a close.”
Any witnesses to the incident are asked to email Detective Franklin Olsen at Franklin.Olsen@wsp.wa.gov.
