Wild chase of hit and run suspect finally ends at South Gold and Summa streets in Centralia. / Courtesy photo by Cheryl Towne
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A motorist who escaped being PIT’ed multiple times by pursuing police vehicles, even though she was traveling with three tires already flattened by spike strips, was finally apprehended and appeared to be under the influence or alcohol or drugs yesterday in Centralia.
Three police vehicles were damaged as law enforcement attempted to capture the fleeing hit and run suspect, according to the Centralia Police Department.
Officers with their lights and sirens activated chased the suspect car south on South Gold Street, as the Ford Focus turned down side streets, blew through stop signs and traveled in the wrong lane of traffic, according to police. They deflated three of the car’s tires with spike strips, but the driver kept going, according to police.
Police then tried to stop the car with repeated use of the PIT maneuver, according to police.
The Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) maneuver is a controlled collision in which a patrol vehicle bumps or taps a rear corner of a fleeing vehicle to cause it to spin out and stop.
After one attempt, the woman behind the wheel restarted her car and drove off before officers could get her out of the vehicle. A subsequent attempt to PIT the car caused it to spin out, and then the suspect continued driving, this time the wrong way on a one-way street, police said.
The final PIT attempt occurred at the intersection of South Gold and Summa streets.
The 53-year-old woman was still uncooperative and had to be pulled from the driver’s seat, according to police Cmdr. Stacy Denham and Sgt. Patty Finch.
Three police vehicles were damaged, the department stated in a press release.
The incident began about 3:40 p.m. when officers were dispatched to a collision at the intersection of North Tower Avenue and Sixth Street after a silver Ford Focus T-boned a semi-truck and left the scene.
The suspect, Robin Wick, 53, of Vancouver, Wash., was reportedly uninjured. She was taken into custody for hit and run, attempting to elude a police vehicle and driving under the influence, according to the press release.
Wick was transported to the hospital so her blood could be drawn, police said. She was then booked into the Lewis County Jail.
The case is still being investigated.
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A tow truck prepares to haul away a police car damaged during pursuit in Centralia. / Courtesy photo by Susie Nichols
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter