Five injured in Kent crash of stolen vehicle after police pursuit

Five people were injured after about a 3-mile Kent Police pursuit of a stolen vehicle when the 18-year-old driver collided with another vehicle.

Just after 1 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, an officer located a stolen Nissan Altima leaving a parking lot at Central Avenue North and James Street, headed south, according to an Aug. 9 email from Kent Police Chief Rafael Padilla.

The officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the vehicle, and the vehicle sped off continuing southbound and failing to pull over, Padilla said. The vehicle traffic at the time was very light and a pursuit was authorized. Due to the location and short duration of the pursuit, other officers were not able to deploy alternative pursuit intervention techniques, Padilla said.

The Altima turned from Central Avenue and headed west on South 277th Street, continuing west until it reached the intersection of the southbound Highway 167 off-ramp, which is controlled by a traffic signal. The Altima reportedly ran the red light at that intersection, colliding with a Mini Cooper that was making a left turn through the intersection on a green light, Padilla said.

There were four occupants of the Nissan:

• Driver, an 18-year-old Federal Way man. He sustained injury, was treated at a hospital and then booked in the King County jail in Seattle, Padilla said. Police arrested him for investigation of eluding police, possession of a stolen vehicle, three counts of reckless endangerment and no valid driver’s license.

• Passenger, a 12-year-old Federal Way girl. Had minor injuries, treated at hospital as precaution.

• Passenger, a 13-year-old Tacoma girl. Had minor injuries, treated at hospital as precaution.

• Passenger, a 14-year-old Federal Way boy. Had minor injuries, treated at hospital as precaution.

The driver of the Mini Cooper, a 42-year-old Kent resident, also sustained injury and was treated at the hospital, Padilla said.