'Injured' suspect escapes from wheelchair after arrest
CENTRALIA, Wash. - A suspected truck thief escaped from arresting officers early Friday when he feigned an injury in a crash, then bolted from a wheelchair as deputies were moving him from the hospital to a patrol car.
But his freedom was short-lived. The suspect, identified as Andrew Holmgren, 22, of Winlock, was captured about six hours later after he was found hiding in the trunk of a car.
The unusual incident began at about 11:45 p.m. Thursday as Lewis County sheriff's deputies pursued a stolen vehicle from Centralia to Grand Mound in Thurston County, then back toward Lewis County.
The chase ended at about 12:20 a.m. Friday when deputies managed to stop the stolen vehicle at Highway 6 and Curtis Hill Road, near Adna, by using a controlled crash known as a "PIT maneuver."
As the suspect was placed under arrest, he told deputies he was injured in the crash and needed to go to the hospital, said Cmdr. Steve Aust of the Lewis County Sheriff's Office. The suspect was then transported to Central Providence Hospital.
After checking out fine, he was about to be transported to the Lewis County jail at 3:30 a.m. when he escaped by bolting from a wheelchair as officers were readying to put him into the patrol car.
The suspect then jumped a fence, ran through a swamp and got away - still handcuffed and wearing bright blue hospital pants and tan socks.
He was found about six hours later in the 1300 block of Scammon Creek Road in Centralia after a homeowner called to report a suspicious person prowling cars in the neighborhood.
Deputies went to the residence and noticed mud inside a vehicle. They pulled the trunk lever but the trunk kept closing. After pulling the lever a few times and the trunk closing each time, deputies pulled the back seat down and found Holmgren hiding inside the trunk.
He was booked into the Lewis County jail on suspicion of eluding, second-degree assault, vehicle prowl, possession of stolen property and for an outstanding arrest warrant.
But his freedom was short-lived. The suspect, identified as Andrew Holmgren, 22, of Winlock, was captured about six hours later after he was found hiding in the trunk of a car.
The unusual incident began at about 11:45 p.m. Thursday as Lewis County sheriff's deputies pursued a stolen vehicle from Centralia to Grand Mound in Thurston County, then back toward Lewis County.
The chase ended at about 12:20 a.m. Friday when deputies managed to stop the stolen vehicle at Highway 6 and Curtis Hill Road, near Adna, by using a controlled crash known as a "PIT maneuver."
As the suspect was placed under arrest, he told deputies he was injured in the crash and needed to go to the hospital, said Cmdr. Steve Aust of the Lewis County Sheriff's Office. The suspect was then transported to Central Providence Hospital.
After checking out fine, he was about to be transported to the Lewis County jail at 3:30 a.m. when he escaped by bolting from a wheelchair as officers were readying to put him into the patrol car.
The suspect then jumped a fence, ran through a swamp and got away - still handcuffed and wearing bright blue hospital pants and tan socks.
He was found about six hours later in the 1300 block of Scammon Creek Road in Centralia after a homeowner called to report a suspicious person prowling cars in the neighborhood.
Deputies went to the residence and noticed mud inside a vehicle. They pulled the trunk lever but the trunk kept closing. After pulling the lever a few times and the trunk closing each time, deputies pulled the back seat down and found Holmgren hiding inside the trunk.
He was booked into the Lewis County jail on suspicion of eluding, second-degree assault, vehicle prowl, possession of stolen property and for an outstanding arrest warrant.
