Stolen Car Chase

WAITSBURG - Waitsburgers experienced a real, live car chase in town Monday.

It began as a routine patrol late in the morning as Walla Walla County Sheriff's Deputy Brian Bush made his rounds. On Murphy Street Bush noticed a white Honda Civic parked in front of a home where residents have given deputies trouble in the past. "This residence has had known gang members in residence and suspected drug activity," according to Bush's report.

The deputy ran the plates on the Honda and got a hit. The car had been reported as stolen in Walla Walla.

Bush staked out the home, parking in a location where he could see clearly if the stolen car drove away. He noted in his report that a Plymouth/ Dodge minivan frequently seen at the home had been parked as though to conceal the stolen Honda.

As he was coming back around the block, he saw that the stolen car was gone. He knew which direction it must have departed, since he hadn't seen it on his circle of the block. So he drove north on Taggart Road toward Mill Race, where he observed the Honda as it turned onto Taggart from Preston Avenue.

Bush sped up. So did the driver of the stolen car. The Honda took off at high speeds, sometimes in excess of 80 miles per hour, and led Bush on a wild chase into Columbia County on Mill Race Road and back to Waitsburg on Lower Hogeye.

When the driver failed to stop at a stop sign as it approached Waitsburg, Bush finally turned on his emergency lights and siren.

The Honda blew through town, continuing to travel at a high rate of speed, came through the intersection on Main Street and headed out Highway 124, Bush close behind. But as the driver of the stolen car got back up to 80 miles per hour and passed other vehicles in no-passing zones, forcing oncoming traffic off the roadway to avoid collision, Bush backed off.

"At that time I terminated the pursuit," he wrote.

He tried to keep tabs on the Honda, but the fleeing car left him far behind. Bush was sure the car wasn't going far, though. And he was right.

It wasn't long before Bush received a call that the stolen car had been spotted outside a home on 8th Street in Waitsburg, abandoned.

The car was returned to its owner, but Bush was left with no suspects and few leads.