After all-day search, police get their scratched-up man

Published 4:27 pm Thursday, April 30, 2009

By Kevin Hanson, The Courier-Herald

A man suspected of rifling through Enumclaw automobiles - and wanted on an armed robbery charge in neighboring Bonney Lake - was apprehended by Enumclaw police Thursday afternoon.

But it wasn't easy, and it didn't come quickly.

The all-day manhunt began early Thursday, when an Almadon Place resident encountered a man in the back seat of her car. He was described as Hispanic, wearing a blue jacket and red-and-black tennis shoes.

The suspect was quickly spotted riding a bicycle along state Route 410, on Enumclaw's south side. But, when police attempted to make contact, the man fled into the thick stand of trees that lines the west side of the highway.

After about 90 minutes of searching, police retired to the station, where they learned of numerous vehicle prowls during the night.

Because police had been actively searching the area, the schools - Enumclaw Middle School, Southwood Elementary and Sunrise Elementary - went into a lock-down mode. All school doors were locked, window blinds were closed and students were kept indoors. The lock-down lasted for about an hour.

That afternoon, another officer spotted the suspect - he was again along the highway and again darted into the trees and blackberry bushes. Numerous officers responded this time, assisted by the Buckley Police Department (which had also helped earlier in the day) and a ladder truck from the local fire department. A firefighter was hoisted to the top of the ladder, where he used thermal-imaging equipment to keep tabs on the suspect. The specialized equipment detects body heat and the firefighter was able to tell police on the ground which direction to head.

Eventually, the suspect was herded out of the woods. "He was a little combative," according to Lt. David Williams of the Enumclaw Police Department. When an officer tagged him with a Taser, which uses electrical current to immobilize a suspect, "he settled down a little bit," Williams said.

The suspect was taken to Enumclaw Community Hospital due to extensive scratches received in the thick woods, but refused medical treatment.

He was then taken to the Enumclaw station to be booked on vehicle prowling charges, and that's when things turned more interesting. Officers first learned the man had an outstanding felony warrants from Port Angeles and Seattle. Then, a corrections officer noticed the man resembled a suspect in a Bonney Lake armed robbery. In that July case, a man wielding a handgun attempted (unsuccessfully) to steal a car.

Enumclaw police also suspect the man was involved in a case where a vehicle was stolen in Sumner last week and dumped in Enumclaw. Police found evidence Thursday linking him to the Sumner incident.

Bonney Lake police took possession of the man Thursday afternoon.

Because he had not yet been charged, his name was not being released.

Kevin Hanson can be reached at khanson@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald