A 21-year-old man was arrested Aug. 16 after leading Pierce County deputies on a high-speed chase that ended with the help of a dog named Bronco, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department said.
At approximately 2:25 a.m., an officer patrolling the area of ​​Pacific Avenue East and Military Road observed a vehicle traveling in excess of 90 mph.
When the officer tried to pull the vehicle over, the driver accelerated to over 160 km/h, after which a chase ensued.
The suspect drove quickly into a side street several times, after which the officer lost sight of the vehicle for a moment and turned off his siren.
The suspect eventually abandoned the vehicle and ran away.
Instead of immediately beginning a pursuit, the officer waited until the K9 Bronco arrived.
As officers set up a perimeter, they began tracking the suspect with Bronco’s help.
During the search, officers found a cell phone, a holster and a loaded high-capacity magazine, which had been left behind by the suspect.
Officers approached when neighbors began reporting a man running through their yards.
K9 Bronco led officers to an open field where the suspect was hiding.
The man gave himself away by shouting, “Don’t let him bite me,” allowing the officers to arrest him.
The suspect was treated in hospital for a shoulder injury and was subsequently sent to prison for reckless driving, eluding police and possession of an illegal firearm.
