A stolen truck crashed into a light pole in Tumwater on Aug. 26, breaking up a three-week string of vehicle thefts and shoplifting that stretched along Interstate 5 between Seattle and Portland.
Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders said several suspects were arrested after a brief pursuit, according to an account reported by Yelm Online.
The sequence began when a Tumwater police sergeant spotted a white Dodge Ram that had been stolen earlier that evening in the Tumwater area. The sergeant attempted a traffic stop, but the truck fled.
K9 Igo and his handler, Thurston County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Bagby, joined Tumwater Police Department officers in the response.
The pursuit ended fast. The driver crashed the Ram into a light pole.
The driver abandoned injured passengers and ran into the woods, ignoring K9 warnings, according to Sanders. K9 Igo tracked and apprehended the driver, holding him until a second officer arrived and made the arrest.
Passengers in the wrecked truck, including a runaway juvenile, allegedly told deputies they had "been committing crimes and stealing cars for three weeks along I-5 from Seattle to Portland" and had fled Oregon State Police at some point during that stretch, Sanders said.
Tumwater officers arrested the occupants of the stolen truck. Law enforcement had not released suspect names as of Aug. 27.
More crimes reported nearby
While the K9 takedown unfolded, occupants of a second stolen vehicle, a black sedan associated with the Dodge Ram, ran into the Steamboat Trading Post nearby and shoplifted before fleeing at high speed, according to Sanders.
Multiple callers also reported the same suspects tried to steal or break into their cars.
The suspects had earlier been seen dumping the contents of the stolen Dodge onto the ground before the sergeant located them.
K9 Igo's role
K9 Igo joined the Thurston County Sheriff's Office in February 2022 alongside K9 Bowie, replacing retired K9s Jaxx and Dexter.
Sanders praised the joint response in his Thursday social media post, saying the effort ended the multi-state crime spree and prevented further victimization.
No formal charges have been announced. The exact location of the crash and the number of suspects arrested have not been disclosed.
