PORT ANGELES — A naked man jumped from a deputy’s moving patrol car after freeing one of his hands from his handcuffs and breaking a window Saturday, according to the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
Kyler A. Luse of Sequim, 21, had been detained and was on his way to Olympic Medical Center for a mental health evaluation when he jumped out of the moving car, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Sgt. Randy Pieper said Sunday afternoon that the incident was still under investigation.
At about 7:30 p.m., deputies responded near Monroe Road and U.S. Highway 101 east of Port Angeles to a report of a man in the highway.
Deputies cuffed him, put him in the back seat of a patrol vehicle and put his seat belt on.
While being transported Luse asked Deputy Benjamin Tomco several times “am I gonna die?” and “is someone going to come kill me?” according to the news release.
He also told the deputy he was hearing voices and hallucinating.
“Deputy Tomco continuously reassured Luse that nobody was coming to hurt him and that he was safe,” the news release states.
During the transport, Luse removed his seat belt and began thrashing around the back of the car. He began banging on the divider, the rear window and the passenger window of the vehicle and had freed one of his hands from the restraints.
He injured his hand when he forced it out of the cuffs, the news release states.
He had also removed all of his clothing, some of which he had ripped off before shattering the rear passenger window of the car.
Tomco slowed down to pull over as he saw Luse jumping out the window. He then got up and moved into traffic, nearly being hit by passing vehicles.
Three deputies arrived and restrained Luse while he was yelling for Jesus to save him. He was growling and trying to bash his own head against the sidewalk, according to the news release.
He was transported to Olympic Medical Center and was detained until he could be evaluated by a mental health professional.
The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office is still assessing the damage to the patrol vehicle, which put it out of operation.
At about 12:46 a.m. Monday, Tomco arrested Luse for investigation of malicious mischief after he was released from OMC. Luse was transported and booked into the Clallam County Jail.
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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsula dailynews.com.
