SEATTLE — A man who allegedly stole a vehicle parked at a Seattle park with a child still inside removed his ankle bracelet days before the crime occurred.
The suspect, who has not been formally charged for the alleged crimes, was out of jail on temporary release - despite objections of the release from prosecutors - and expected to start treatment on May 10. He was given an ankle bracelet and told to return to King County Jail on June 7.
On the evening of May 14, electronic home detention staff were notified the ankle bracelet was tampered with, according to information from the King County Prosecutor's Office. A request for a warrant was filed and a hearing was scheduled for May 19.
On May 21, police were called to Ross Park for reports of a stolen vehicle with am elementary-age child inside, according to a statement of probable cause.
The owner of the vehicle had returned to the park to retrieve an item that had been left behind, leaving the car running along Third Avenue NW so the air conditioning could be left on. The owner of the vehicle was on a baseball field when he looked up and saw the car driving away.
The suspect stopped at Third Avenue and 43rd Street, got out of the vehicle briefly before jumping back in the car as the vehicle's owner approached.
As the suspect tried to drive away, the owner jumped into the rear right window and struggled over the automatic shift knob, telling the suspect he "just wanted his son," according to the statement of probable cause.
At one point, multiple bystanders got involved, surrounding the car.
One bystander attempted to grab the rear passenger side door of the car as it passed by at a slow speed. That person and their 2-year-old son were injured when they fell and were dragged a few feet.
Several people continued to follow the suspect until he left the vehicle and tried to get away. Witnesses followed the suspect to provide updates to police.
The suspect pepper sprayed one of the people following him, according to the statement of probable cause.
The suspect was arrested the same day.
On Monday, May 23, the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office argued the suspect is a danger to the community and unlikely to return to court. Bail was set at $250,000.
The suspect had previously been charged with three felonies. The Northwest Community Bail Fund bailed the suspect out on two previous occasions, according to the prosecutor's office.
