Police Looking For Wanted Criminal In Kittitas County

Police in Kittitas County are looking for a man who fled the scene of an injury accident involving a stolen vehicle on Sunday afternoon.

The incident occurred on Nelson Siding Road near Golf Course Road when the vehicle lost control, went off the roadway, and crashed.

Inspector Christopher Whitsett with the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office says a female who witnessed the accident saw two men exit the vehicle and abscond from the scene prior to her discovery of an injured woman inside the vehicle.

"One of the men said to the witness 'you better call 9-1-1 for her' and pointed to the car. In the back of the car the witness found a young woman who was seriously injured and is still being hospitalized."

One of the two men who fled was later arrested after scuffling with deputies, but the other man is still at large, and Whitsett says it's believed he's still in the area of the accident scene.

"At this point we're balancing concern for the safety of the community, because this is a person with a known felony warrant and previous violent convictions, with concern for this person needing help. Because we want to help them if they need it, but we need to provide it in a careful way."

Whitsett says the at large suspect contacted his family using a cell phone following the accident and stated he was injured near the Yakima River and unable to move.

The last known location of the suspect's phone was near the terminus of Chepoda Road to the northeast of Golf Course Road off Exit 78 from Interstate-90.

The suspect was recently released from prison and is a known gang member from the Richland area. He's described as being 5'3" tall and weighing about 150 pounds with tattoos on his right forearm, chest, and left wrist.

Deputies have contacted residents in the area and are using drones, boats, and foot searchers to locate the suspect.

Anyone with information about the suspect's whereabouts or who thinks they see the suspect is asked to call 9-1-1.