PORT ANGELES — A State Patrol investigation into Tuesday’s fatal wreck involving a man who was being tailed by narcotics investigators could take six weeks or longer, an agency spokesman said today.
State Patrol detectives will undertake an extensive, complete investigation of the circumstances surrounding the death of Albert Edward “Eddie” Boe IV of Port Orchard, said Trooper Russ Winger, spokesman for the State Patrol.
Boe, 31, died at the scene of the 1:30 p.m. wreck.
Rebecca Doherty, 49, of Port Angeles was injured and transported to Olympic Medical Center.
Doherty, the wife of Clallam County District 2 Judge John Doherty, was treated and discharged, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
Port Angeles Deputy Police Chief Brian Smith said the department is turning over radio and phone records to the State Patrol to complete an investigation into the fatal wreck.
The wreck was witnessed by two tailing Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team (OPNET) detectives.
There is no separate investigation into the detectives’ actions, Smith said. Their actions will be included in the full investigation, he added.
Two OPNET detectives in an unmarked car had been observing Boe, driving a white 1999 Kia Sephia, from about three or four blocks behind him, Smith said.
They had used a cellphone to call for a marked car to stop Boe, he said.
Smith said OPNET had arrest and search warrants for Boe for investigation of drug trafficking, along with a state Department of Corrections arrest warrant.
“They had probable cause and intent to arrest him,” Smith said.
Police records show a radio call went out for a unit to respond to Race and Second streets to stop Boe.
Smith said that at about the time the radio call was made, Boe suddenly sped up, turned east on Second Street, south on South Washington Street, ran through a stop sign at East Eighth Street and collided with Doherty’s white 2005 Infiniti.
It was not known if Boe knew about the radio call, Smith said.
The Kia came to rest upside-down against a steep embankment on the south side of East Eighth, and the Infiniti was partially in the intersection.
The initial State Patrol report said Boe was not wearing a seat belt.
Smith said OPNET detectives saw the wreck from their position on South Washington and were considered witnesses.
“They were observing from a distance,” he said.
________
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
Our earlier report:
PORT ANGELES — A Port Orchard man died and a Port Angeles woman was taken to Olympic Medical Center after a rollover wreck at the intersection of South Washington and East Eighth streets on Tuesday.
Albert Boe IV, of Port Orchard, 31, died at the scene of the 1:15 p.m. wreck, said Trooper Russ Winger, spokesman for the State Patrol.
Rebecca Doherty, 49, of Port Angeles, was injured and transported to Olympic Medical Center, Winger said.
A hospital spokeswoman said no information was available on Doherty’s condition as of Tuesday evening.
Winger said Boe was driving a white Kia southbound on South Washington Street and was being tailed by an unmarked Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team vehicle during an investigation.
OPNET investigators told State Patrol troopers they were attempting to reach a marked unit for a traffic stop when Boe suddenly sped away from them, ran a stop sign at East Eighth Street and hit Doherty’s white Infiniti broadside, Winger said.
The Kia came to rest upside-down against a steep embankment on the south side of East Eighth, and the Infiniti was partially in the intersection.
Winger said OPNET investigators told the State Patrol they were not chasing Boe at the time of the collision.
The stop-sign-controlled intersection has a stop for traffic on South Washington. Traffic on East Eighth has the right of way.
The scene was turned over to an investigation team from the State Patrol, said Port Angeles Deputy Police Chief Brian Smith.
Troopers took control of the scene at about 1:45 p.m.
Winger said a full accident reconstruction team was sent to Port Angeles from the Bremerton headquarters office.
The intersection remained closed at 5:30 p.m. as the investigation continued into the evening hours.
City police and fire crews, Clallam County sheriff’s deputies and the State Patrol responded to the wreck.
________
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
