Subjects flee on foot after WSP pursuit in Naselle

Grays River Valley School District was placed on lockdown Thursday morning as Washington State Patrol (WSP) Troopers and allied agencies searched for two subjects involved in pursuit on state Route 401. Both subjects were located and booked in Pacific County Jail.

The pursuit began on state Route 401 at 9:51 a.m. A 2000 Chevrolet pickup truck traveling northbound was measured traveling 77 miles per hour (mph) in a posted 55 mph zone, passing a trooper parked on the shoulder. The trooper attempted to stop the pickup, which failed to yield to the trooper's lights and sirens and accelerated to 105 mph in a posted 45 mph as it neared Naselle.

The pickup continued northbound, ran stop sign and attempted to turn left onto westbound state Route 4, lost control and went into a ditch in front of the school.

The driver and passenger fled the scene on foot in opposite directions.

The driver, a 29-year-old Shelton man, ran west from the scene to a grassy field. Troopers apprehended the driver and placed taken into custody without incident. The driver is accused of felony eluding and driving while license suspended/revoked first-degree.

The passenger, a 31-year-old Burien man, ran toward the school, passed the front door and continued onto state Route 4. Troopers and a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Officer later observed the man off Torppa Road south of the school and placed him into custody without incident. The Burien man had five warrants, including one felony.

The school was notified of the incident at 9:54 a.m. and shortly after was placed on lockdown. The lockdown was lifted at 11:30 a.m. As the incident was occurring, a WDFW captain went into the school and spoke with the students who had been relocated to the gymnasium, answering questions regarding the incident.

Clatsop County Sheriff's Office assisted on scene with a narcotics K9-unit, which positively alerted on the pickup truck. Pacific County Sheriff's Office will continue the investigation into potential additional drug charges.