100 mph Thurston County chase involving active military members ends in serious crash
Jan 26, 2026, 7:12 AM
A Thurston County Sheriff's Office vehicle at the scene of a high-speed crash Sunday night. (Photo courtesy of Thurston County Sheriff's Office)
(Photo courtesy of Thurston County Sheriff's Office)
A vehicle reached speeds of more than 100 mph while trying to escape deputies with the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office before crashing Sunday night, injuring two passengers.
The pursuit started when a Thurston County deputy saw a Dodge Charger speeding on Martin Way. The car was allegedly traveling approximately 60 mph in a 35-mph zone, causing the deputy to perform a sudden U-turn. When the driver of the Dodge Charger saw the deputy turn around, the vehicle sped away at more than 100 miles per hour.
Once the deputy caught up to the speeding suspect, he found the car had crashed into a barrier near an on-ramp onto I-5. Four people were inside the vehicle when it crashed.
“The deputy got to the bottom of the Nisqually Hill and found the driver had crashed into a cement barrier near the I-5 on-ramp,” Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders wrote. “One passenger was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. However, another passenger, who is active duty military and the brother of the driver, appears to have been paralyzed from the collision and is in critical condition.”
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office discovered the driver of the vehicle was also an active military member.
The Dodge Charger had a fake plate reading “NOT 5.0” and a trunk-mounted camera gimbal. The sheriff’s office stated that equipment, when combined, is often used to record themselves taunting and fleeing from police at high speeds.
The driver is in custody for vehicular assault and reckless driving. He was also in possession of a firearm at the time of his arrest.
This is a developing story, check back for updates
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