High-Speed Chase Leads to Officer-Involved Shooting

The Washington State Patrol is investigating a deputy-involved shooting Wednesday that left one man dead.

According to the Yakima County Sheriff's Office, deputies in Gleed attempted to pull over a car that had reportedly been at the scene of a theft. The driver refused to pull over, which led to a chase that reached speeds of more than 100 mph.

Yakima County Chief Criminal Deputy John Durand said he is glad no deputies or other drivers were seriously injured.

It’s a highly dangerous situation whenever you are involved in a pursuit and you don’t know why people are fleeing. It’s a very dangerous situation.

The chase ended when the car wound up in a ditch on the side of Highway 12 at Ackley Road. As a deputy approached the car, the 27-year-old driver accelerated toward him. Fearing for his safety, the deputy opened fire, killing the driver as the deputy was struck and knocked to the ground by the car.

The Honda Civic involved was later determined to be a vehicle stolen in Yakima. A 17-year-old male and a 27-year-old female who were passengers in the Honda were not injured and were taken into custody for investigation related to the theft. no names have been released.

The State Patrol is now investigating the incident.