PORT ANGELES — After car chase reaching 60 mph and a foot search by officers from three agencies, a Port Angeles police dog tracked the suspect under a house so that human officers could arrest the man.
Port Angeles Police Department Officer Mike Johnson spotted Clayton Allen Folsom, 24, of Port Angeles driving a Ford Explorer near 10th and L streets on Sunday afternoon, reported Deputy Police Chief Brian Smith on Monday.
Folsom was known to Johnson as having a suspended driver’s license, so the officer signaled for him to pull over, Smith said.
Instead of stopping, Folsom turned the Explorer onto an unpaved section of L Street and sped away, he said.
The chase, which led a twisting route through the neighborhood, at times reached 60 mph in areas where the limit is 25 mph.
Folsom lost control, crashed the SUV in the 1700 block of West 11th Street and ran away on foot, Smith said.
Johnson, as he got out of his patrol car, lost sight of Folsom, Smith said.
Eight Port Angeles officers, assisted by Clallam County sheriff’s deputies and a Lower Elwha Tribal Police officer, were called in and surrounded the area, he said.
Port Angeles Officer Kevin Miller and his canine partner, Jag, tracked Folsom to the backyard of the residence where the Explorer had crashed — and Jag found the suspect allegedly hiding under the porch.
“There was contact between Jag and the suspect,” Smith said.
Folsom was taken into custody and booked into Clallam County jail for investigation of eluding police, resisting arrest and driving with a suspended license.
Two passengers in Folsom’s car were not charged or injured, police said.
The Port Angeles Police Department has two dogs on active duty, Jag, 4, and Kilo, 9.
“Jag and Kilo have a good record,” Smith said.
If not for Jag’s tracking ability, it was likely Folsom would not have been found, he said.
“Our K-9 officers and dogs work very hard,” Smith said.
It’s not a good idea for scofflaws to run from police, he said.
“We have the means to catch them,” he said
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
