A woman lost her life Wednesday morning after being struck by a motorist who fled from law enforcement during an attempted traffic stop, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident unfolded at approximately 9:25 a.m. on Oct. 15 when a Pierce County deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a driver suspected of having an active warrant from the Washington Department of Corrections.
According to the sheriff’s office, the driver refused to stop and instead accelerated away from the deputy. The suspect then ran a red light at the intersection of 112th Street and Ainsworth Avenue South, colliding with a vehicle that was lawfully proceeding through the intersection.
Deputy Carly Cappetto, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, emphasized the rapid nature of the incident. She noted that the entire sequence of events transpired within 20 to 30 seconds, making it impossible for law enforcement to prevent the suspect’s reckless actions.
The driver of the vehicle that was struck sustained fatal injuries in the collision. Authorities have not yet released the victim’s identity or age.
Following the crash, the suspect fled the scene on foot but was pursued by a deputy and apprehended at a nearby apartment complex shortly afterward.
Bob Malone, who operates a shop in the vicinity and witnessed the aftermath, described the scene as dramatic. He recounted hearing an officer confront the suspect about the fatal consequences of their actions, expressing both relief at the arrest and sorrow over the tragedy.
The Washington State Patrol has taken over the investigation of the collision. According to jail records, the suspect was booked on multiple charges including murder, vehicular homicide, eluding, reckless driving, and the outstanding warrant.
The suspect is expected to be formally charged and make a court appearance Thursday afternoon.
The intersection remained closed to traffic for several hours and reopened at approximately 4:00 p.m.
