PORT ANGELES — A high-speed chase that began in Port Angeles continued on U.S. Highway 101 Thursday afternoon, reaching speeds estimated at 90 mph before ending with the arrest of a 20-year-old Port Angeles woman, authorities said.
Larissa J. Garrison is being held without bond this morning in the Clallam County jail while she awaits her first-appearance bail hearing at 1 p.m. this afternoon in Clallam County Superior Court.
Fugitive Brandon Schwagler, 25, of Port Angeles, who was a passenger in the vehicle, fled after a collision with a police vehicle during the chase, authorities said.
He was arrested by Port Angeles police and Clallam County Sheriff’s deputies at about 12:30 p.m. today in the back yard of a Port Angeles home.
Police Chief Brian Smith said a resident had reported that someone was inside a tree house on the property.
“It looks like he’s cold and we’ll get him into dry clothes we we get him into the jail,” Smith said this afternoon before Schwagler was driven to the county jail.
Garrison is in the jail for investigation of eluding a police vehicle, reckless endangerment and hit-and-run attended property, according to the jail roster.
There were no serious injuries in the incident, which resulted in damage to two Port Angeles police vehicles and a city of Port Angeles vehicle, authorities said.
About $3,500 of damage was done to the police vehicles, while a damage estimate for the city vehicle was unavailable, Police Chief Brian Smith said.
Authorities said Garrison was at the wheel of a vehicle that was stopped at the Port Angeles Library at about 3:45 p.m. Thursday when a police officer approached the vehicle.
Smith said the officer was conducting a welfare check on Garrison and wanted to arrest Schwagler for probable cause of committing fourth-degree assault and malicious mischief-domestic violence.
Schwagler will be jailed on additional charges of obstructing a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest, Smith said.
Smith said Garrison drove away when the officer approached the vehicle.
During the ensuing chase, Garrison’s vehicle collided with a police vehicle on Cherry Street near 12th and 13th streets, and Schwagler jumped out and ran away, Smith said.
Garrison continued driving down U.S. Highway 101 while being pursued by a police vehicle, reaching speeds of about 90 miles an hour, Smith said.
She stopped the vehicle near the Elwha River Road bridge, ran down an embankment and was apprehended at about 4:15 p.m. Thursday by sheriff’s deputies who found her hiding in the woods, Deputy Police Chief Jason Viada said.
Authorities said five law enforcement agencies were involved in the chase and arrest, including the Elwha Police Department and U.S. Border Patrol, which located her in the area of the Elwha River Road bridge after a Port Angeles police officer had to break off the chase on U.S. Highway 101 due to dangerous conditions.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
