High-Speed Chase Wakes up Waitsburg

WAITSBURG - A high speed car chase through Waitsburg's city streets cul- minated with a wreck in a wheat field and the K-9 unit capture of a hiding offender. The driver, Skyler Glasby, 25, and passenger Phillip Fetner, 29, were both ar- rested at the scene.

On Dec. 14, according to a Columbia County Probable Cause report, a Columbia County Deputy was return- ing from the transport of a prisoner to Walla Walla County when he spotted a 1997 Mercury heading in the opposite direction. The officer recognized the driver as Skyler Glasby, who has an outstanding warrant.

The deputy, aware that Glasby also had a suspended license, turned around and attempted to execute a traffic stop. The Mercury pulled to- ward the side of the roadway as if to stop before acceler- ating to 80 mph and heading toward Waitsburg. The deputy pursued the vehicle which drove through yards in Waitsburg and nearly col- lided with other vehicles on multiple occasions.

According to Walla Walla Undersheriff Eddie Freyer, two Walla Walla deputies were listening to the radio and were ready to assist with pur- suit in Walla Walla County. A Washington Fish and Wild- life officer also aided in the pursuit -- a dangerous chase around Waitsburg, with ve- hicles clocking speeds of up to 70 mph.

The chase left Waitsburg, as Glasby headed out Wilson Hollow Road and back into Columbia County with four patrol vehicles in pursuit. Glasby turned onto Nordheim Road and the vehicle left the roadway into a seeded wheat field where it lost control and crashed into a tree in a gulley.

Fetner, the passenger, gave himself up to police and was arrested on a Department of Corrections warrant for sec- ond degree assault. He was transported to Dayton General Hospital where he was treated for an injured shoulder. Glasby fled the scene on foot and hid in the treeline on the edge of the field. Walla Walla K-9 units were called, and Glasby was arrested with- out incident.

According to Sheriff John Turner who spoke at Mon- day's City Council meet- ing in Waitsburg, Glasby had climbed into a hole and covered himself with leaves and branches. The dogs indicated they had caught Glasby's scent, but officers still couldn't find the suspect. Turner said that when the handler gave the command to, "Show, or I'll release the dogs," Glasby immediately jumped from hiding and sur- rendered. Turner said this is the second time dogs have been used to capture Glasby.

"It was a good use of a rel- atively new resource," Freyer said of the K-9 unit. "It saved a lot of officer time. What could have taken hours took place in a relatively timely manner." Freyer said the dogs are new to the force as of last year, but have only been in the field for the last three to four months.

Glasby, who Turner re- ferred to as a "career criminal," was arrested for attempt- ing to elude and existing war- rants. He was to be arraigned Tuesday in Columbia County Superior Court.