A 23-year-old Seattle man was arrested this week after fleeing from Kent Police during a late-night traffic stop attempt, leading to a crash and a prolonged foot pursuit aided by police K9 Gambit.
Just after 12:15 a.m., Officer Flowers attempted to stop a Honda with no license plates on the city’s East Hill, but the driver refused to yield, turning off his headlights and accelerating away. Due to the suspect’s erratic driving, the officer ended the pursuit for safety reasons.
Shortly after, another officer discovered the crashed Honda near Summit Avenue, having struck both a fire hydrant and a parked vehicle. The car was empty, but a single shoe left behind suggested the driver and his passenger had fled on foot.
Officer Stotler located the passenger hiding in a nearby bush. The driver, however, remained at large — until K9 Gambit and handler Officer Flesher joined the search.
After more than 40 minutes of tracking, the K9 team located a trail that led into dense foliage, where Gambit retrieved a sock. Knowing the suspect had fled shoeless, officers gave commands, and the man surrendered.
“K9 Gambit can be quite persuasive,” Kent Police wrote in a statement. “This time, the suspect cooperated. He had no shoes and only one sock.”
The suspect sustained minor injuries while fleeing and was treated at a local hospital before being booked into jail for felony eluding.
Kent Police emphasized their commitment to pursuing suspects who victimize residents.
“It’s just not in our officers’ DNA to give up on a call,” police said. “If you commit crimes here in Kent, and victimize our residents, we are going to find you.”
