Dori: Thief steals Puyallup cancer patient’s pickup while lawmakers do nothing

Zero for two. When the closing gavel dropped on the 2022 Washington State Legislative session last week, neither of the two bills that would have addressed law enforcement’s ability to respond to soaring car thefts in this state survived.

The result is that law enforcement officers continue to be hamstrung in investigations involving car thefts, among a myriad of other crimes. If they see a stolen car, they can’t pursue.

Even before February 2022’s numbers were included, car thefts statewide increased by 50% since the July 2021 laws took effect. Compared to 2,000-2,500 vehicles hoisted monthly before the new laws, the number of vehicles stolen monthly in Washington now nears 3,500, according to the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.

But behind all these crime statistics, as The Dori Monson Show reminded listeners, there are human stories. Many of them are painful to hear.

That’s the case with Kathy Stonack of Puyallup. Fighting cancer with regular hospital visits for chemotherapy, she used her pickup to get to treatments. That was, until a week ago, when someone came into her yard at night and stole the vehicle from her carport.

“She was devastated,” said her brother, Michael Stonack. “She called the police … and they were wonderful, but they said, ‘We’re really sorry, but we’re probably not going to be able get your truck back.’”

“This was heartbreaking for me,” he continued. “I love my sister to death. She means everything in the world to me. When I see her hurt, it tears my heart out.”

Dramatic rise in car thefts blamed on new Washington state law

Michael Stonack described how their father, a Korean War veteran, taught him and his sister “that if you work hard – and nothing in life is free – but if you work, you will be rewarded.”

Kathy, he said, had paid off her home and truck, but could no longer afford insurance on her pickup because of the rising costs of her cancer treatments.

“I consider myself a big guy. I’m strong. But this hurts my heart,” Michael Stonack continued. “All of us kids worked since were [young], we worked in the berry fields to earn what we have. … It just makes me want to give up, to not be able to trust our government.”

“My father was a guy who taught us to respect the flag, respect your elders, respect the people in office,” he said. “But it’s all been lost. It’s all been lost.”

Meanwhile, Michael Stonack says his sister continues her battle with cancer.

“She’s strong. She’ll get through this,” he said. “I think I’m more hurt and sad over this. We know God will help us and we’ll move on.”

Listen to Dori’s entire interview with Michael Stonack of Puyallup:

Listen to Dori Monson weekday afternoons from noon – 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.