PORT ANGELES — A Port Angeles man who police said vaulted over several backyard fences and ran through a home to escape them was in jail Wednesday after an 18-minute chase that morning.
Maxx Edward Johnson, 24, led six officers through backyards of a neighborhood just south of East Lauridsen Boulevard, Deputy Police Chief Brian Smith said.
Johnson ran through the back door of a home on Lopez Avenue, through the house and out the front, Smith added.
“I talked with the homeowner,” Smith said. “She was not pleased.
“She was scared.”
The pursuit began at 8:16 a.m. at South Peabody Street and East Lopez Avenue after Sgt. Jesse Winfield came to a house at the intersection looking for another man, Smith said.
As Winfield approached the home, a man standing nearby later identified as Johnson started running.
Winfield confirmed Johnson had an active felony warrant for his arrest out of Jefferson County and began chasing him, Smith said.
Six officers — including Smith and Officer Lucas DeGand with his canine partner, Bogey — chased Johnson through the neighborhood.
“We had considerable people in the neighborhood pointing out his location as he ran through yards,” Smith said.
“I’m going to say he went through probably a dozen yards.”
Smith said officers were about two minutes behind Johnson when Detective Sgt. Lyman Moores and Deputy Mike Backes of the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office spotted Johnson walking along the 1100 block of South Albert Street and arrested him at 8:34 a.m.
“I would say it disturbed the peace of mind of people for a short period of time in this neighborhood,” Smith said.
Johnson remained in the Clallam County jail Wednesday on $22,100 bail, booked for investigation of obstructing a law enforcement officer, making false statements to law enforcement officers, a Jefferson County felony warrant and two misdemeanor warrants out of Port Angeles.
Jefferson County Superior Court records show the felony warrant stemmed from Johnson violating the terms of the court’s pay-or-appear program.
Johnson was required to pay fines through the program after he pleaded guilty Jan. 24 to one count each of reckless endangerment-domestic violence, third-degree malicious mischief and violating a domestic-violence no-contact order, according to Superior Court records.
He was also sentenced to a 33-day jail sentence in this case, according to court records.
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Reporter Jeremy Schwartz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jschwartz@peninsuladailynews.com.
