UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. — The man accused of going on an hours-long shooting spree that injured six people along Interstate 5 on Sept. 2 was formally charged with five counts of assault in King County.
Eric Perkins, 44, was charged Thursday after making a first appearance in court on Wednesday. Perkins remains in King County Jail on $1 million bail, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. All five assault charges come with a firearm enhancement.
The first shooting was reported at 8:26 p.m. on Sept. 2 when the suspect, driving a white Volvo, fired several rounds at a Tesla, striking a female passenger in her torso. She was taken to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition.
The driver of the Tesla said the shooter was wearing a ski mask.
The shooting spree continued from there, with the suspect leaving behind six crime scenes between 8:26 p.m. and 11 p.m.
Police learned the California license plate on the Volvo was associated with the suspect out of University Place. State troopers and University Place and Fircrest police patrolled the area and eventually found the vehicle - disabling it with spike stripes.
The suspect was arrested.
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Perkins' next court appearance is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Sept. 19, where he will enter an initial plea.
As recently as the day before, court documents show the suspect had been at Tacoma General Hospital “for an evaluation” and that the suspect had recently become homeless.
Court documents say Perkins has numerous convictions on his record in California, including check fraud, burglary and forgery.
