Two South Kitsap men allegedly tried to steal a 27-foot boat early Monday from a home in the 8200 block of Dormar Drive SE, but they were pursued by the victim in a high-speed chase until Kitsap County Sheriff’s deputies arrested the suspects at gunpoint.
The 40-year-old victim woke up around 4:30 a.m. Monday to the sound of his dogs barking loudly outside, according to a deputy’s report.
He looked outside and saw a brown Mazda pickup parked behind his boat.
Someone stood next to the boat, shining a flashlight on it.
The victim threw on some shorts, got into his white 4X4 truck and followed the suspects’ vehicle south on Dormar, trying to get the license plate.
The suspects’ vehicle crashed into some logs along the side of the road, then turned east on Mullinex Road, eventually reaching speeds of 100 mph, with the headlights turned off.
The pickup slowed down near Long Lake Road, and the occupants threw some shiny items about the size of pop cans into thick underbrush along the roadside. Deputies searched for these items, but didn’t find them.
The truck sped east on Mullenix and turned north on Orchard, running a stop sign.
It eventually reached the intersection of Olalla Valley Road and Banner Road and started doing donuts.
“The (Mazda’s) occupants were shining a large, bright spotlight at the driver of the white truck,” according to the report.
A deputy activated his vehicle’s emergency lights, and saw the Mazda accelerate west onto Olalla Valley Road.
He thought the Mazda would try to flee, but it stopped and the driver got out and started yelling at the white truck’s driver.
The deputy ordered the suspect to the ground at gunpoint.
The suspect who had been driving, a 37-year-old South Kitsap resident was arrested and booked for attempted first-degree theft, possession of stolen property, driving with a suspended license, reckless driving and two outstanding warrants. His bail was set at $45,000.
The 34-year-old passenger, also from South Kitsap, was arrested and booked for first-degree attempted theft. His bail was set at $25,000.
In the Mazda pickup, deputies found a substance that looked like marijuana, two vehicle ignitions, filed keys, a gas can that had been stolen in a previous burglary, miscellaneous power tools and a bike.
The truck was towed to the evidence lot at the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office.
