PORT TOWNSEND — Two juveniles are in their parents’ custody and one is at Clallam County’s Youth Center following a high-speed car chase on Thursday.
The juveniles, all boys, are 15, 16 and 17, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said. The 16-year-old remained in custody Friday due to previous contact with law enforcement, the agency added.
A resident in the 400 block of Hastings Road in Port Townsend reported to the Port Townsend Police Department on Wednesday that his vehicle, a 1993 Nissan Truck, was stolen from his driveway.
“He woke up to go to work and noted the vehicle was gone,” Jefferson County Sheriff’s Sgt. Detective Brett Anglin said. “It was unknown at what point during the night or morning his vehicle was taken.”
At about 2:36 p.m. Thursday, the owner of the truck contacted Jefferson County dispatch, reporting they believed they had seen their vehicle in Port Townsend near the area of Discovery Road and Sheridan Street.
Deputy Jacob Pursch and Sgt. Chad Wheeler located the vehicle at Discovery Road and Sherman Street, Anglin said.
“Upon attempting to stop the vehicle, the driver took off and eventually accelerated to high speeds,” Anglin said. “Deputies pursued the vehicle until eventually it came into the area of Flamingo Road, where it collided with a parked car. The occupants at that point took off running.”
Anglin said speeds reached as fast as 90 mph.
Two vehicles were struck at the Flamingo Road location, Anglin said. Deputies also are aware of a vehicle which was struck in the middle of the chase.
“Deputies are investigating that at this moment,” Anglin said Friday.
After deploying a perimeter and utilizing an unmanned aerial vehicle, deputies located three juveniles who were apparently fleeing the scene near the area of Reynolds Road and state Highway 20, Anglin said.
“They were subsequently taken into custody,” he added.
The case is still under investigation.
“A recent state law makes it to where law enforcement officers are unable to question juveniles on the scene,” Anglin said. “So we have to do much more extensive measures in order to investigate this crime thoroughly.”
Also on Wednesday morning, a resident in the 2000 block of Rainier Street reported that he found the steering column of his vehicle was destroyed, Anglin said. It appeared someone had attempted to steal the vehicle but was unsuccessful, he added.
A vehicle, previously stolen, from Port Townsend also was recovered Wednesday morning in the 300 block of 43rd Street.
The vehicle has since been towed to its owner, Anglin wrote.
While the Sheriff’s Office has not tied the juveniles to the recovered vehicle or the vehicle with the destroyed steering column, the office has strong suspicions that they are related because of the type of crime and proximity of the incidents, Anglin said.
________
Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@peninsuladailynews.com.
