Vehicle Involved in Traffic Stop Stolen from Scene

The Chelan County Sheriff's Office is searching for a green 1999 Subaru after a disappointing sequence of events Wednesday afternoon.

Sergeant Chris Foreman was responding to a report of an abandoned vehicle north of Chelan just before noon when the Subaru sped past him driving southbound on Apple Acres Road. Foreman engaged his emergency lights and turned around to initiate a traffic stop, but the other vehicle was observed already accelerating away.

After about a minute of pursuit, the suspect vehicle turned left into a rural residential neighborhood on Rolling Rock Road. The vehicle, carrying four occupants, then pulled over into a grassy area. Three of the four inside the car exited the vehicle and fled on foot.

The fourth occupant stayed with the Subaru and cooperated with Foreman. Sgt. Foreman initially detained and interviewed him while waiting for more units to set up a perimeter around the area. It was at this point Foreman learned that one of the suspects was wearing a black hoodie and was armed with a pistol. The cooperating suspect, claiming he was an innocent party just getting a ride, was released from his handcuffs.

At the same time a 9-1-1 call came in from the same cluster of rural homes. A homeowner had spotted a trespasser in a black hoodie on his property and had the suspect at gunpoint. When deputies arrived they searched for the reported pistol, but could not find one on either the suspect's person or the area around the property.

Other residents then reported seeing movement on a tree line that bordered a hillside. With two suspects still at large, law enforcement became concerned one of them could be armed with the reported pistol. More units were called in to create a search perimeter, including a K9 unit and helicopter.

Ultimately the search did not locate anyone. However, Sgt. Foreman then found two subjects at a nearby residence on Rolling Rock Road. They denied that they were the remaining suspects

Sgt. Foreman said he could not place the subjects in the suspect vehicle due to a lack of evidence. Foreman stated he believes that they were in fact the ones that ran from him.

Then the focus suddenly turned back to the Subaru and the first subject.

"Once we had more units on scene, I sent one of the deputies to re-contact that individual. The individual was gone, and the car was gone." explained Foreman, "Since that has happened the registered owner of that vehicle, who lives at the same house where I contacted the two subjects on Rolling Rock, has reported that vehicle now as stolen."

The name the suspect initially provided Sgt. Foreman did come back as someone. However, when Foreman later pulled up the picture associated with the name, the picture did not match the suspect.

The unidentified suspect who drove off with the now stolen vehicle is also the only one who will be facing charges.

The homeowner who caught the trespass suspect declined to pursue charges. Sgt. Foreman stated that he could confirm that suspect was not the driver of the vehicle.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Chelan County Sheriff's Office at (509) 667-6851.