Suspect arrested after stolen car chase in Vancouver

VANCOUVER, Wash. (KPTV) - Vancouver police say a burglary suspect has been taken into custody after a lengthy search.

Officers first responded to a suspicious circumstance in the 6700 block of NE 162nd Avenue around 7:45 a.m. Monday. After arriving, officers found two men in the parking lot, each in a stolen vehicle, according to police. Investigators say one of the cars was associated with a series of storage unit burglaries.

After attempting to speak with the men, one was taken into custody, however, the other drove off. A traffic stop was initiated, but the driver continued to flee and eventually crashed the vehicle.

Delivery driver Robert Schoenwald was making his final delivery at a restaurant in the Safeway complex when he found himself caught up in the chase.

“I was wheeling it in and the chef stopped me and told me not to go in because there had been somebody that had run in there,” he said.  “I was a little confused. Then the sheriffs pulled up and I kind of put two and two together.”

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The suspect fled into a business in the Northeast 162nd and Northeast Fourth Plain Boulevard area, in the Heritage Market Center. Police did not say which store the suspect ran into.

Schoenwald said the suspect ran into a back door of the restaurant he was making a delivery to while he was in the back of his truck. He says he would have come face to face with the suspect had he exited his truck with his final delivery load a minute or two earlier.

Vancouver police, assisted by SWAT, evacuated the shopping complex and began a search. Eventually, the suspect was found in the ceiling of one of the businesses.

“They secured everything that they could, they geared up, they got the drones in, they brought the dogs. They were on the PA a few times.” Schoenwald explained.

At approximately 1:07 p.m., the suspect surrendered and was taken into custody without incident.

Arrests:

• Christopher Sabo, 28, was arrested for Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and outstanding warrants for Theft.
• Casey Pearson, 32, was arrested for Burglary, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Theft of Firearm, and Felon in Possession of Firearm.

Police have not identified which suspect was taken into custody Monday morning and which fled from the police.

This is developing news. FOX 12 will update this story when new details are released.

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