BREMERTON — Jeremy Andrus, 31, of Bremerton, was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, attempting to elude pursuing police and hit and run resulting in injury after leading Bremerton Police officers on a dangerous pursuit June 21.

A 911 call was made at around 8:35 p.m. June 21, with reports of a multi-vehicle hit-and-run collision with injuries near the Wheaton Way and Sheridan Avenue intersection.

While on route, responding officers were notified of more 911 calls reporting sight of the suspect vehicle, a white Mitsubishi Lancer. According to witnesses, the vehicle, on Rickey Road near Sylvan Way, was dragging its front bumper and running stop signs.

BPD Officer Derek Ejde arrived at the location of the first hit and run, where he determined that two vehicles had been struck and at least one person had head injuries and was vomiting from the impact.

Ejde wrote in his report that when he approached one of the victims, “I could see he was clutching his left hand and his stomach. (The victim) was bent over at the waist and was writhing in pain. (He) began to vomit uncontrollably.”

The victim was taken by aid in a Bremerton Fire Department Advanced Life Support Vehicle to Harrison Hospital, where it was later determined that his injures were not serious. After the victim was taken by aid, Ejde rejoined the pursuit of Andrus.

Officers pursued the suspect vehicle. They were informed the vehicle had apparently been stolen from the unincorporated area north of the Bremerton city limits, and that Kitsap County Sheriff’s Deputies had been involved in a pursuit a short time earlier. They advised that the suspect vehicle had struck another vehicle.

“The suspect, in his efforts to elude pursuing deputies, had collided with and disabled another vehicle and continued on, now reported to be reaching speeds of 80 mph,” wrote Trevor Donnelly in the certificate of probable cause. “Kitsap County Deputies subsequently discontinued their pursuit as it approached Bremerton city limits.”

Bremerton officers located the suspect vehicle southbound on Wheaton Way, south of McWilliams Road, after it had left and re-entered the city limits.

At one point, the suspect vehicle passed by the scene of the first hit and run. Ejde, who was still present at the scene, estimated the driver was traveling at “at least 60 mph.”

“The vehicle had smoke coming out of it and was weaving in and out of traffic,” Ejde wrote. “Based upon my observations of the vehicle and knowledge that the vehicle had been involved in at least three hit-and-run collissions in the past 15 minutes that had injured at least one person, I advised other units that we needed to stop the vehicle.”

In accordance with BPD’s restrictive pursuit policy, the on-duty BPD supervisor determined the suspect driver had committed violent and dangerous felonies.

“On several occasions, he entered oncoming lanes of travel, nearly resulting in additional collisions,” Donnelly wrote.

The BPD supervisor then authorized officers to utilize the Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT). PIT is a specialized driving maneuver in which the fleeing vehicle is contacted, causing it to spin, and other officers box the vehicle to prevent it from leaving the area, in order to stop a dangerous pursuit rather than allowing the suspect vehicle to further endanger the public.

According to the report, as the suspect vehicle drove “recklessly” southbound on Wheaton Way, officers used a PIT technique to attempt to stop the vehicle at the north end of the bridge, but the car regained control and continued southbound. The technique was used again at the south end of the bridge, and was successful. The vehicle was pinned against a curb, where officers approached the car.

Ejde, who arrived on the scene as officers attempted to arrest the driver, wrote that Donnelly deployed his Taser, striking the driver in his upper back and armpit after the driver was uncooperative.

“The driver, later identified as Jeremy Andrus, made several unsolicited statements, telling us that he had probably made our night,” Ejde wrote.

While waiting for aid, Ejde wrote that Andrus was read his Miranda Rights, but agreed to speak with officers.

“He told me that he wished he had a gun so that he could kill himself,” Ejde wrote. “I mentioned to Andrus that he was lucky he did not kill anyone else. Andrus said that he did not want to hurt anyone, and noted that he had slowed down when he approached the original collision scene.”

After getting consent from the owners of the stolen vehicle Andrus was driving, officers searched the car and found a small bottle and a small baggie of marijuana. Andrus reportedly told an officer that he had consumed two 40-ounce beers.

Officers reported that the suspect smiled and said that the pursuit was “an awesome time.”

Washington State Patrol units arrived and conducted a DUI investigation, after which the suspect was transferred to their custody and additionally charged with DUI. The suspect was jailed on $200,000 bail.

Bremerton police Chief Steve Strachan said, “We take any pursuit very seriously, and we have a very restrictive policy, but when the driver shows absolutely no regard for safety, has already injured people and shows every intent to go on injuring other people with his reckless actions, we have no choice but to stop it as soon as possible. Although the suspect doesn’t seem to care about anyone else’s safety, this is another example of the split-second decisions officers need to make in very dangerous situations. Our officers acted quickly and appropriately.”