Suspected Drunk Driver Leads Police On Foot Chase In Clark County

Clark County, Wash. — Clark County Sheriff’s Office and Clark County Fire & Rescue personnel responded to a call of a male slumped over in the driver’s seat of an unlicensed Ford Fusion parked in the 10300 block of NE 52nd Ct. Upon arrival, the driver fled in the vehicle, driving erratically, but was spotted by firefighters at a gas station near NE 72nd Ave and NE 119th St.

A CCSO patrol deputy attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle driving east on NE 119th St, but the driver recklessly eluded the deputy. Another deputy found the car a few minutes later in Orchards near NE 99th St and NE 117th Ave, where a second traffic stop was attempted. However, the driver fled again and failed to negotiate a curve at NE 126th Ave and NE 95th St, colliding with a public utilities box at the southeast corner of the intersection.

The driver fled the scene on foot and ran into the commercial complex at the 9600 block of NE 126th Ave. The Clark County Sheriff’s Office, the Vancouver Police Department, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office Air Support Unit, and several small Unmanned Aircraft Systems worked together to apprehend the suspect, who was located hiding between a fence and a row of arbor vitae in the commercial complex after about an hour.

Further investigation revealed that the vehicle had been reported stolen to Portland Police a few days prior and evidence of recent illicit drug use was found inside the car. The vehicle was seized by the Sheriff’s Office pending further investigation. The suspect driver has not yet been identified by law enforcement and was transported to an area hospital for minor injuries sustained during the collision.