Deputies arrest suspect after high-speed pursuit of U-Haul in Port Angeles
(Clallam County Sheriff's Office)
PORT ANGELES, Wash. - A high-speed chase through Port Angeles led to the arrest of Andrew P. Benson, a 28-year-old Port Angeles resident wanted on multiple charges.
The Clallam County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) received a tip about Benson's location earlier in the evening on Sept. 1.
Just before 10 p.m., CCSO responded to the tip, but Benson was not found at the scene. However, around 11:30 p.m., a deputy spotted Benson driving a U-Haul truck with a passenger. When confronted by law enforcement, the passenger got out of the U-Haul.
Deputies said Benson refused to get out of the truck and began to drive away recklessly, leading deputies to suspect he was driving under the influence.
With permission from a CCSO Supervisor, deputies initiated a pursuit, notifying dispatch of Benson's location and behavior. During the chase, Benson endangered other drivers by forcing them off the road and driving against traffic.
(Clallam County Sheriff's Office)
The pursuit ended when Benson parked the U-Haul in a yard and attempted to run away. A deputy took him after a short struggle and falling about 10 feet down an embankment. Medics were called to the scene as Benson claimed to have ingested Fentanyl.
Following medical evaluation, Benson was booked into Clallam County Jail, facing charges including Eluding a Police Vehicle, DUI-Drugs, Resisting Arrest, Obstructing an Officer, Reckless Endangerment, and Driving with a Suspended License.