PORT ANGELES — A high-speed chase that began in Port Angeles destroyed one police car and a bus stop before it ended near the 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn, according to a news release from the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
Stacy Dyar-Brown, 39, of Port Angeles was being held Monday in Clallam County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail for investigation of DUI-drugs, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, eluding a police vehicle and hit-and-run attended property damage.
Just after 7 p.m. Sunday, a Clallam County Sheriff’s deputy spotted a wrong-way driver heading westbound on First Street near Lincoln Street. The vehicle turned north onto Lincoln Street, where the deputy began his pursuit with lights and sirens.
The driver failed to stop and the deputy suspected she might be driving under the influence. Then she began driving recklessly and evasively, reaching speeds estimated at 60 mph through the city limits, endangering both pedestrians and other drivers, the release stated.
The deputy received supervisor permission to pursue based upon his belief the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Port Angeles police officers joined the pursuit.
Multiple attempts at using pursuit intervention techniques were unsuccessful. While avoiding the officers, the driver drove into an empty bus shelter at First and Ennis streets as well as a Port Angeles police officer’s vehicle, forcing it into a parked car and disabling it.
The driver continued on eastbound U.S. Highway 101 at speeds estimated between 60 and 90 mph, driving out of Port Angeles, the release stated.
Then dispatchers received a 9-1-1 call from a male passenger in the car who reported being suicidal. Dispatchers advised officers there was an active disturbance between the driver and passenger.
The driver continued on eastbound Highway 101 at high speeds until a Port Townsend police officer set down spike strips at milepost 272 near the 7 Cedars Casino, the release stated. Then the driver lost control after running over the spike strips and drove into an embankment along the highway.
The driver was arrested without further incident. Neither the driver nor the passenger were severely injured, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
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Reporter Brian Gawley can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at brian.gawley@sound publishing.com.
