Police Tie Suspect In Crash Near Leavenworth To Wenatchee Chase

A Wenatchee man facing charges from a Saturday afternoon crash west of Leavenworth now faces additional charges from a police chase in Wenatchee. 

State Patrol troopers arrested 36-year-old Steven Mario Perez on suspicion of being intoxicated when a motorcyclist was injured during a head-in crash on U.S. 2. 

Troopers say Perez was driving a blue 2004 Honda Accord when he emerged from a private road and headed westbound in the eastbound lanes and hit a motorcycle driven by Steven T. Kowalczik, 58 of Kent head-on.  

Kowalczik was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for injuries he sustained in the crash at about 4:15 pm Saturday. 

Court documents state Kowalczik suffered a broken femur, broken pelvis, punctured lung and internal bleeding in the crash. 

Troopers say Perez declined an eye check for intoxication and stated they would have to take his blood. Troopers proceeded to get a search warrant and drew blood to determine his blood alcohol level. 

Perez was then taken to Chelan County jail on vehicular assault charges, an offense tied to intoxicated drivers suspected of causing injuries to others in a crash. 

Meanwhile, Wenatchee Police Captain Edgar Reinfeld says one of their officers then identified Perez as the suspect in a chase from 18-hours earlier through city streets. 

"The officer who had been in a pursuit the night before saw the state patrol call and confirmed it was the same vehicle and believed to be the same driver," said Reinfeld. 

The officer said he could identify Perez during a moment when he'd stopped at a red light during the chase. The officer also confirmed he was driving the same blue Honda Accord. 

According to police, the pursuit at roughly 1 am Saturday went from 5th Street and Chelan Avenue south on Chelan where it merges with Mission Street, and then back up Mission Street to 5th Street to the red light. 

Reinfeld said the officer chose not to continue the chase out of safety concerns when the suspect took off at a high rate of speed westbound on 5th Street. 

Wenatchee Police filed charges of Reckless Driving and Felony Attempting to Elude a Police Vehicle after Perez had been jailed in Wenatchee,  

It was noted at Perez' first court appearance on Monday that he has a lengthy criminal record, with two felony convictions and a history of four DUI/Reckless Driving convictions as well as 10 warrants. 

Chelan County Superior Court Judge Robert Jourdan set bail at $150,000 between the two cases - $100,000 for the vehicular assault charge and $50,000 for reckless driving and fleeing police. 

Chelan County prosecutors will decide what formal charges will come against Perez.