PORT ANGELES — A convicted felon who was injured during a Saturday morning shootout on U.S. Highway 101 was upgraded Tuesday to the acute care unit at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
Interim Port Angeles Police Chief Brian Smith said Tuesday that Port Angeles resident James Edward Sweet, 36, who had been in serious condition, was moved Tuesday from the intensive care unit.
A Harborview spokeswoman said Tuesday: “We are not able to share any information on this patient.”
Smith said the state Department of Corrections (DOC) had taken over custody of Sweet from the Port Angeles Police Department.
DOC has issued a detainer to hold Sweet when he is released from Harborview, DOC spokesman Andrew Garber said Tuesday in an email.
Sweet had been sentenced to 22 months in prison and a year of community custody after pleading guilty Dec. 26, 2014, in Clallam County Superior Court to attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle, a felony, and possession of a controlled substance, according to court records.
Attempted murder probe
Sweet, now under arrest for investigation of attempted murder of a police officer, is recovering from gunshot wounds to the abdomen following a gunfight between a shooter and four law enforcement officers at about 10 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of U.S. Highway 101 and Monroe Road.
In the first of three radio transmissions beginning at about the McDonald’s restaurant on U.S. Highway 101 near the city limit shortly before 10 a.m. Saturday, Port Angeles Police Officer Whitney Fairbanks said she was initiating a traffic stop and the driver was not stopping.
Smith said Fairbanks began pursuing Sweet for a suspected traffic violation just west of Golf Course Road and pursued him about 1 mile east to Monroe Road.
Smith said that Fairbanks reported at the time that the driver she was pursuing was driving erratically, and finally, that the driver sped up to 60 mph and that she was in pursuit.
The speed limit is 35 mph at Golf Course Road and 45 mph at Monroe Road.
At the intersection with Monroe Road, Sweet crashed into a vehicle, the driver of which was unhurt.
As Sweet got out of his vehicle at the intersection, he allegedly shot at Fairbanks with a revolver and took cover in a nearby grassy area while Fairbanks returned fire, authorities said.
Fairbanks was joined by Officer Dallas Maynard and Cpl. Kori Malone, both of the Port Angeles Police Department, and Clallam County Sheriff’s Sgt. Shawn Minks.
State Patrol
Lead investigator Detective Rodney Green of the State Patrol said Tuesday he will meet Monday with Port Angeles Police Department and Clallam County Sheriff’s Office officers to discuss the investigation.
Green did not know how many times Sweet had been shot and would not comment on how many shell casings were found in the area where the shootout occurred.
He said Tuesday the State Patrol also must still take statements from the officers involved in the shooting.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
