Man steals Intercity Transit truck. And that was just the beginning, Olympia police say

OLYMPIA – A 28-year-old Lacey man was arrested on suspicion of multiple crimes Sunday after he stole an Intercity Transit pickup truck, drove to an area apartment and assaulted a woman he did not know, according to Olympia police.

About 5 a.m. Sunday, an IT employee driving a pickup truck stopped at the downtown transit center and got out of his vehicle. When he looked back, he saw a man wearing only his underwear get into the truck and drive away, Police Lt. Paul Lower said.

Fifteen minutes later, police were dispatched to an apartment building in the 700 block of 11th Avenue Southeast after a report of a disturbance. The 911 caller there could hear a woman screaming in a downstairs apartment, Lower said.

The man had parked outside a ground-floor apartment and began revving the engine, Lower said. The woman inside the apartment woke up, then saw the man enter it through a window.

The suspect, who was unknown to her, began to threaten her life. He then approached and punched the woman, knocking her to the ground and then tried to strangle her, Lower said.

She fought back and screamed as loud as she could, he said. The woman was finally able to get out the front door of the apartment, while the man exited back through the window and was detained by police.

The suspect was booked on suspicion of first-degree burglary, second-degree assault, felony harassment and auto theft.

The 45-year-old woman was treated at the scene and said she would seek further medical treatment on her own, Lower said.