Thurston County woman arrested after fire incident leads to taser use, car chase
By: -----
Thurston County, WA - A Thurston County Sheriff's deputy arrested a woman early Saturday morning after a check on a fire escalated into a stun gun deployment and a brief vehicle pursuit that ended when a second patrol unit forced her car off the road, according to the Thurston County Sheriff's Office.
The incident began when a deputy patrolling the "Handicap Hole," a state-owned fishing spot that closes at dusk, spotted a fire burning in the area.
According to edited video clips released by Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders, when the deputy approached, the woman explained she was destroying documents containing personal information.
"I'm just burning a bunch of stuff that's got Social Security numbers and stuff," she told the deputy, adding she didn't have a shredder.
Because the area was closed for the night and due to the potentially suspicious activity, Sanders said the deputy was within his authority to ask for the woman's identity.
She initially refused, telling the deputy, "I don't need to tell you that," before questioning why she was being asked, noting she pays taxes on the state property.
She eventually gave the deputy a name, but the sheriff said it turned out to be false, according to Sanders.
According to the sheriff's video of the encounter, the situation escalated quickly. The deputy ordered her to "drop what's in your hands," which she refused, telling him to stay away from her.
The deputy told her she was "not free to leave," which she disputed before he deployed his taser.
The taser did not appear to have any effect, and she got into her car and slammed the door shut.
When a backup unit arrived, the woman drove off, prompting a short chase during which she "blew the stop sign," according to the deputy in pursuit.
The pursuit ended about a quarter mile later when the responding unit knocked the woman's car off the road.
She was not seriously injured in the crash. Deputies booked her on charges of eluding, obstruction, criminal impersonation, and driving under the influence.