A 42-year-old Seattle man was arrested last week after Kent police say he tried to flee an East Hill oil-change business in a stolen 2015 Dodge Challenger, touching off a foot pursuit that ended only after a police drone tracked him through yards and fences near a school. Officers also recovered a loaded handgun the man allegedly tossed into a fenced lot as he ran.
According to iLoveKent, the trouble started when employees at the oil-change shop realized the Challenger belonged to a customer and called 911 after learning the car had been reported stolen. The man, who was the vehicle’s only occupant, tried to make a run for it in the car itself — climbing back inside and attempting to reverse out of the service stall with the hood still open. He struck a smaller occupied vehicle parked behind him in the process.
Traffic Officer Brennan reportedly arrived in less than a minute, with additional Kent officers showing up within a few minutes after that. Officers positioned their vehicles to partially block the Challenger, and the man became stuck. Police say he ignored repeated commands to stop before abandoning the car and running from officers on foot.
Drone Picks Up the Chase Over Fences and Trees
What followed was a pursuit that stretched over multiple fences, according to police. As the man ran through neighboring properties, officers say he discarded a loaded handgun into a fenced area at another business — a detail Officer Sloan reportedly witnessed directly. The man then disappeared from view in an area with scattered tree cover, leaving ground officers without a clear line of sight…