Kent man critically injured trying to stop thief from stealing his car, police say

KENT -- A 31-year-old Kent man was critically injured Thursday night when he attempted to stop a thief from stealing his car by jumping in the open passenger window and was thrown off as the vehicle was speeding away, police said.

The incident occurred at about 7 p.m. at the Somerset apartments in Kent.

The man had left his car running when a thief got into his car and started to drive out of the complex. Seeing his vehicle being stolen, the man tried to climb through the open passenger window, police said.

"The suspect then drove out of the complex and onto 109th Avenue with the victim hanging out of the passenger window," a police news release said. "Witnesses say it appeared the suspect was intentionally trying to get the victim out of the vehicle by swerving and hitting the curb."

After about a block, the man was thrown from the vehicle, police said. He was rushed to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition.

About an hour later, the Renton Police Department responded to a vehicle collision involving the victim's stolen vehicle and they detained a "person of interest" in the auto theft, Kent police said.