Police chase ends with shots fired, patrol car in ditch near Woodinville High School



WOODINVILLE, Wash. -- A man who reportedly used a hatchet to damage the hood of a Camaro and then stabbed a man after a collision was shot by Snohomish deputies following a lengthy police chase early Wednesday morning.

Kristin Banfield, public information officer for the Snohomish Multi-Agency Regional Response Team, or SMART, said Snohomish County deputies responded about 4:40 a.m. to reports of a vehicle crash in the 14400 block of Meadow Road in Lynnwood. Witnesses told 911 operators that the man who struck the Camaro with his black SUV used a hatchet on the hood of the vehicle he hit, then stabbed the driver of the other vehicle. 

The suspect, a 42-year-old man, then fled the scene, Banfield said.

One of the deputies en route to the scene noticed a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle involved in the crash. The vehicle had damage to the front end.

The deputy turned around to pursue the vehicle, prompting a high-speed chase that started in Lynnwood, took police down I-5, over SR 520, into Redmond, then back north through Snohomish County.

The chase ended near Woodinville High School. Banfield said it's still unclear how the chase ended, but it appears there was a collision, she said, and one of the deputy's vehicles ended up in a ditch along NE 195th Street and 136th Ave NE.

The SMART team is still investigating what happened next. Deputies approached the suspect's vehicle, and shots were fired.

The suspect was taken to Harborview Medical Center. His condition is unknown, Banfield said.



At least three deputies were involved in the shooting, and possibly a fourth, though it's unclear if all of them fired their weapons. Three of the deputies have been placed on administrative leave, which is protocol following an officer-involved shooting.

The victim who was stabbed after the collision in Lynnwood was treated at the scene and released. The passenger in that vehicle was also taken to the hospital for a medical condition that's unrelated to the crash.

It appears the suspect knew the people in the vehicle he collided with, and deputies are investigating whether the incident is related to previous domestic violence.

Northshore School District released the following statement about police presence around Woodinville High School that will likely continue into the evening:

"Due to this morning’s police incident near Woodinville High School and the continuing investigation, 195th Street is still closed and is expected to remain closed until sometime between 4 and 6 p.m. This will cause delays to buses and drivers, and is likely to impact other schools within the Woodinville High School  feeder pattern, resulting in a 20-25 minute delay for bus arrivals back home. Families should still be at the bus stops at their regular time.

Drivers must use the bus entrance on the north side of campus or the main entrance coming from the east side of campus on 136th. Walkers should avoid the area of the investigation."

The road opened back up at 4 p.m.