Booked and released in 3 hours, Seattle man jailed days later in 4th October arrest

Jail records show 29-year-old Chance Hill was booked into the King County Jail on October 25 and released 3 hours later.

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Two days later, Hill was jailed again Sunday; his fourth arrest this month.

Hill’s recent arrest history is reminiscent of what Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best described Friday in a Tweet: A suspect quickly released from jail only to commit another crime.

“This not only hurts our community, but officer morale as well,” Tweeted Best.

Hill was charged last week with felony theft of a motor vehicle.

King County prosecutors did not object to Hill’s conditional release, according to charging papers, that noted, “he has a pending Theft of a Motor Vehicle case currently in Drug Diversion Court.”

Two days later, Seattle police said officers responded to a report in Beacon Hill of a man trying vehicle door handles and “peering” into houses on October 25. Hill, who police said they linked to multiple car prowls, mail theft and possession of burglary tools, was arrested on misdemeanor charges and released from jail three hours later on his own personal recognizance.

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“When I picked up the car, there was a lot of his stuff in there – there was (a) drug needle, used drug needle,” said a man whose car was allegedly stolen by Hill last week.

That man, who did not want to be publicly identified, told KIRO 7 he believes more jail time won’t help Hill.

“I completely get the fear and the frustration,” he said. “I would address the root causes.”

Written by Michael Spears