Stolen truck involved in collision kills one, sends child to hospital; Suspect at large

Information from King County Sheriff

At approximately 11:32am today (02/25/2024) King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) deputies observed a stolen Ram 1500 pick-up truck parked in the City of SeaTac. As deputies were making plans to contact the driver, the vehicle drove off.

Deputies followed continuing to gather resources and plan a traffic stop on the stolen vehicle. The driver of the truck seemingly observed the police cars behind him and opted to drive off at a high rate of speed.

Deputies weighed the totality of the situation and chose not to initiate a vehicle pursuit of the truck. The truck drove off without KCSO deputies ever attempting a traffic stop.

Several minutes later the KCSO Communication Center received at least one 911 call reporting a serious two-car traffic accident at S 128th St and 22 Ave S. This is a border street between Seatac and Burien. KCSO deputies also came across the accident scene at about the same time.

     KCSO Deputies found that the stolen Ram pick-up truck had struck a Jeep in this intersection. Both vehicles were significantly damaged or destroyed. The driver of the stolen Ram truck fled on foot. The occupants of the Jeep had significant injuries and were immediately attended to by deputies and medical personnel. 

     KCSO deputies (with support from all surrounding agencies) searched for the driver of the stolen truck in the surrounding neighborhoods for several hours. As of 8:30pm, the suspect remains at large as efforts continue to identify and apprehend him. A tentative description of the stolen truck’s driver is of a white or Hispanic male around 5’ 9” inches tall and something under 200lbs.

     Unfortunately, the male driver of the Jeep was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. His family has been notified and have been offered all available support. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office will release additional details about this individual per their protocols. A small child was also in the Jeep at the time of the collision. The child was transported to Harborview Medical Center where medical attention is on-going.

     KCSO is requesting residents of this affected neighborhood to review any home surveillance video they may have. Investigators would like to receive any available footage of the stolen vehicle as it sped through the city streets or of the suspect as he fled the area on foot. Please contact KCSO Communication Center at 206-296-3311 with information.