KITSAP, Wash. — The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) is asking the public’s help in finding Brandon Charles Ervin, a “dangerous felon” who has multiple warrants out for his arrest.
As of Friday, Brandon Charles Ervin has at least 10 warrants out for his arrest in the Puget Sound region, and despite direct encounters with him, officers say they have been unable to even pursue Ervin due to restrictions in the police reform laws enacted last year.
In a Thursday Facebook post, KCSO said Ervin was responsible for “creating mayhem and terror” throughout the county since November, with his most recent contact with the police coming on Tuesday.
KCSO said in November 2021, Ervin caused a serious injury crash with a Ford pick-up truck in south Kitsap at Baker Road SE and Jaybird Place while driving a stolen vehicle at an “extremely high rate of speed.”
The collision caused serious injuries to the pick-up truck driver and to Ervin, who was taken to the hospital for treatment instead of being booked in jail.
Following the incident, a felony warrant for vehicular assault was issued for his arrest.
Then in January, Ervin was in another stolen vehicle and contacted in the parking lot of Goodwill at SE Mile Hill Drive in south Kitsap.
Port Orchard police contacted Ervin and placed their patrol vehicles in a position to block him in case he attempted to escape.
After being contacted, police said Ervin rammed the stolen vehicle into both patrol vehicles, creating enough space to speed off and elude the officers.
KCSO said that because of the recent laws restricting police pursuits, the officers weren’t able to chase Ervin as he fled.
Officers said that Ervin escaped to Mason County, abandoned the stolen vehicle and carjacked a truck.
On Tuesday, KCSO deputies were investigating a stolen car in central Kitsap and found Ervin asleep inside.
They awoke him and attempted to make an arrest, but Ervin started the vehicle, rammed two KCSO patrol cars and fled. Deputies again did not pursue him.
His warrants out of Kitsap County and Port Orchard include vehicular assault, two counts of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, attempt to elude, two counts of hit-and-run, reckless driving and two failure to appear warrants for fourth-degree assault and driving with a suspended license.
Anyone with information on Ervin’s whereabouts is asked to call 911. Anyone who would like to submit a tip can do so anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.
The law restricting police pursuits was passed during the 2021 state legislative session. The law looked to force officers to consider potential risks in pursuing a suspect. The law requires officers to establish probable cause prior to chasing a suspect.
The law was among a series of police reforms that raised concern among law enforcement agencies last year.
However, some lawmakers are looking to lower the threshold for police chases in the current legislative session.
Last week, the House Public Safety Committee approved a bill to allow officers to give chase if the officer has “reasonable suspicion” that the suspect committed a crime.
The bill must pass the House and then the Senate before heading to the governor's desk for final approval.
