WSP: DV suspect arrested after rollover crash, fighting officers, harming K-9 in Sumner

PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. - Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies arrested a domestic violence suspect who fled from a rollover crash and fought officers in Sumner on Thursday.

The suspect was booked into the Pierce County Jail for driving under the influence, second-degree assault, third-degree assault, harming a police dog, resisting arrest, obstruction, and driving with a revoked license. These new bookings are in addition to his existing domestic violence warrant.

According to the Washington State Patrol (WSP), troopers responded to a rollover crash on northbound SR-167 near 24th St. at around 3 a.m.

Investigators say a red Dodge Charger was struck by a speeding white Toyota sedan, which caused the sedan to roll several times before coming to rest in a ditch. The driver of the Dodge was unharmed.

While at the scene, troopers learned the driver of the sedan had an outstanding warrant for domestic violence assault and attempted to take him into custody, but he managed to run away.

The WSP says while he was running away, he ran into the side of another car that was driving near the scene and continued running across both directions of SR-167.

Witnesses then started calling 911, and their information helped troopers find the suspect hiding in the underbrush on the south side of the roadway. For a second time, troopers tried bringing him into custody, but he became combative and managed to run off again.

The WSP then requested assistance from local law enforcement agencies; officers from the Lakewood Police Department (LPD), the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, the Puyallup Police Department (PPD) and the Sumner Police Department responded.

The PPD aerial surveillance team and the LPD’s K9 track team were able to spot the suspect near a pond. The WSP says the suspect fought with officers again and even tried to force the K9 underwater.

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Eventually, the suspect was taken down, brought into custody and booked into the Pierce County Jail.

The WSP says the suspect would not have been taken into custody without the collaborative help from the other responding agencies across Pierce County.

"The Lakewood Police Department K-9 units are available for request, as needed, by our partner agencies," said LPD Public Information Office (PIO) Charles Porche. "This morning, one of our K-9 teams answered the call to assist the Washington State Patrol. The team successfully tracked the suspect, and were able to take him into custody with the assistance of other officers/deputies on scene. The Lakewood Police Department values the relationships that we have with other law enforcement agencies in the area and are regularly willing to assist as called upon."