KENT, Wash. — The driver of a stolen Kia crashed following a police chase in Kent. However, when police apprehended the suspect, he turned out not to be the person they were looking for.
At around 1:49 a.m., the King County Sheriff's Office was notified by the Lakewood Police Department that they were chasing two vehicles suspected to be involved in a robbery, a black Kia and a gray Kia sedan, on northbound I-5 approaching Federal Way. The pursuit continued into SeaTac where Lakewood police lost the black Kia.
At around 2:18 a.m., Burien Police Department deputies believed they spotted the black Kia wanted by Lakewood police. They attempted to stop the car at South 188th Street and International Boulevard South, but the car eluded them. Burien police initiated a car chase and continued into Kent, where the suspect crashed into one other vehicle at South 212th Street and 68th Avenue South, and then drove several blocks before crashing into a tree.
The driver of the Kia attempted to flee on foot but collapsed due to their injuries. The passenger of the vehicle was trapped in the car. Law enforcement detained both the driver and the passenger and they were taken to Harborview Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
When Lakewood police took over the investigation, they learned the Kia that had crashed in Kent was not actually one of their robbery suspects. Instead, he was driving a different stolen Kia wanted out of Seattle. The King County Sheriff's Office took over the investigation.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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