PORT ANGELES — A wanted man led law enforcement officers on a violent car chase Wednesday evening before being boxed in and taken into custody by officers who used a Taser to subdue him.
Police say Nicholas Blood, 25, of Port Angeles was booked into Clallam County jail for investigation of eluding police and third degree assault after attempting to escape authorities in a nine-minute, 5.23 mile chase.
Police said the chase on First Street and U.S. Highway 101 included officers from the Port Angeles Police Department and the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, and went east from downtown Port Angeles to Mount Angeles Road, then back west before Blood was stopped at Baker Street.
According to a report from Port Angeles Police Cpl. Tom Kuch, the Port Angeles Police received a complaint of a dark blue passenger car driving erratically in the parking lot of Safeway on Lincoln Street at 8:32 p.m.
Witnesses told police the driver was driving around the parking lot both forward and in reverse with headlights turned off.
Officers responded, but the vehicle was gone when they arrived.
At 9:02 p.m., officers received a report of the same vehicle driving erratically on First Street in the downtown area.
Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Federline located the vehicle at First and Laurel streets, and Police Officer Dan Morse arrived moments later.
They located the driver, whom they recognized as Blood from prior interactions.
Blood fled eastbound on First Street, holding his door open as he drove, driving at speeds ranging from 20 to 50 mph.
Officer Morse used a PIT maneuver — using a vehicle to force the fleeing vehicle to turn sideways by striking its rear quarter panel— in the 700 block of East First Street.
The maneuver successfully stopped the vehicle, but officers were unable to pin Blood’s vehicle in place with their own.
Blood then rammed Morse’s passenger-side door and continued to flee.
Officers continued the pursuit eastbound and out of city limits at speeds ranging from 20 to 85 mph.
Blood went as far east as Mount Angeles Road where he reversed direction and began driving back toward Port Angeles.
At Highway 101 and Baker Street, Federline performed another PIT maneuver on Blood’s vehicle.
Enough officers were on the scene for the second maneuver to box in Blood’s vehicle.
Blood then backed into a guardrail and used his vehicle to ram officers’ vehicles.
Officers deployed their Tasers to subdue and apprehend Blood.
There were no injuries and Blood was booked into the Clallam County jail.
In addition to charges associated with Wednesday’s chase, Blood had outstanding warrants for resisting arrest and second-degree criminal trespass.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
