WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — A 45-year-old Bellingham man is in Snohomish County Jail and charged with suspicion of several crimes after driving through yards, ditches and fields, including circling a house in an effort to flee Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) deputies.
According to SCSO, deputies responded to reports of a trespass and a man driving erratically through a backyard in Snohomish around 11pm on Saturday, January 21st. Deputies arrived on scene and located the suspect truck down a driveway as it was attempting to drive away. The truck drove forward and backward multiple times, spinning its tires out and abruptly coming to a stop.
Deputies activated their emergency lights and attempted a traffic stop. Instead of stopping, the truck fled in an erratic manner and drove through a muddy field. Deputies pursued the vehicle for suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI).
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Click for more informationAs deputies remained in pursuit, the truck went through several more yards and ditches. At one point, the suspect drove into a yard and circled a house as if attempting to make a U-turn. Error, group does not exist! Check your syntax! (ID: 11)
The truck continued driving off the road and into muddy fields.
SCSO dispatch received another 911 call that reported the suspect had been driving offroad through a development.
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Click for more informationThe suspect eventually fled from his vehicle on foot and entered an occupied residence.
The homeowner was able to get the suspect out of his house and deputies located the suspect onfoot and made chase, during which time he refused to surrender and refused to follow verbal commands.
The suspect was tased and taken into custody without further incident. He was arrested and booked into Snohomish County Jail charged with DUI, attempting to elude a police vehicle, resisting arrest, residential burglary, driving with a suspended license and violation of an ignition interlock device order. Error, group does not exist! Check your syntax! (ID: 11)
According to Skagit County Superior Court records, the suspect, identified by jail records as John Moshe Ashton, was out of custody on a $100,000 bond posted 10 days earlier while awaiting trial on the following felony charges and some other gross misdemeanors.
- possession of a stolen vehicle
- 1st-degree robbery
- 2 counts of 2nd-degree assault with a deadly weapon
- 2 counts of attempting to elude a police vehicle
- 1st degree malicious mischief
A bench warrant was issued in Skagit County Superior Court after Ashton failed to appear at a scheduled hearing on January 19th.