A Pacific Beach teenager in a hurry to play video games led Hoquiam Police on a pursuit through a residential area and down Sumner Avenue Friday afternoon, according to a statement from Sgt. Jeff Salstrom.
An officer observed a red 2005 Hyundai Elantra being driven recklessly at 23rd and Cherry streets around 5 p.m.
“The driver ran through a stop sign at a high rate of speed in front of the officer,” said Salstrom. “As the officer attempted to catch up to the vehicle, the driver continued to drive in an erratic manner and continued to accelerate.”
The officer activated his lights and siren, but the driver ran a second stop sign at 24th Street and Sumner Avenue before turning onto Sumner. The vehicle then ran the red light at 23rd Street and Sumner, nearly causing a collision, said Salstrom.
“The driver accelerated to Riverside Avenue, reaching speeds of 50-55 mph in the 30 mph zone,” said Salstrom. “The driver swerved across several lanes of traffic on Riverside Avenue, again almost causing several collisions.”
When the vehicle reached the Riverside Bridge, the driver took the corner too fast and struck the curb with the right front tire, said Salstrom. The impact damaged the wheel and axle, but the driver was still able to turn the wrong way onto Levee Street before coming to a stop.
The 17-year-old driver was ordered from the car and arrested without further incident. He told officers he did not stop because he didn’t have a driver’s license and was afraid he would get a ticket, said Salstrom. The suspect had borrowed the car from a friend and admitted he had been driving fast and ran the stop sign because he was in a hurry to get to a friend’s house to play video games.
Because he had no significant criminal history, the driver was released to the custody of his mother. He is facing a felony charge of attempting to elude a police vehicle, said Salstrom. Police will be submit the case to the county prosecutor for the felony crime of attempting to elude a police vehicle. The driver will turn 18 in January and could be charged as an adult, said Salstrom.
