This case is notable because it brought Los Angeles style live coverage of a car chase to the usually staid Seattle television news.
The accused car thief essentially re-enacted a crime he comitted a year ago, for which he was convicted in February and received a nine month work release sentence, which he finished in May. The numbers don't add up, even with time served. I've heard from police that car theft is a low risk crime in Washington, and I'm beginning to believe it.
As might be expected, relatives claim the accused really isn't a bad person, and that he was planning on going to community college; thus, reinforcing comedian Adam Carolla's view that community colleges are the gateway to prison, and that society might be safer if we put concertina wire and guards around community colleges.
News article from 10/7/05, Seatle Times:
Bail set for man in chase
By Matt Ironside
Ryan Wade-Everett first stole a car to go to Bellevue for a meeting with his probation officer. After that meeting, he couldn't get the car started again, so he stole another one.
And the chase was on.
That was how court documents characterized the start of what became a dramatic chase through much of the Eastside Tuesday that was viewed by thousands on local television as it played out live.
King County Superior Court Judge Eileen Kato yesterday set bail at $250,000 for Wade-Everett, who led police on the sometimes-high-speed chase through Bellevue, Kirkland, Bothell and back to Kirkland before his capture.
Wade-Everett, 24, is expected to be charged with numerous violations that may include hit-and-run, vehicular assault, first-degree theft, second-degree robbery, eluding police and residential burglary.
Shaya Calvo, the prosecutor in the case, cited Wade-Everett's conviction in a similar incident that occurred in November 2004 in Shoreline and a concern for public safety in the request for the $250,000 bail amount.
"I told the judge that it's lucky no one was killed," said Calvo.
In the earlier case, Wade-Everett pleaded guilty in February to hit-and-run, possession of stolen property, attempted robbery and assault — crimes that closely mimic the charges Calvo expects to be filed against Wade-Everett today.
Calvo said that, if convicted, Wade-Everett is likely to face considerably more jail time than he received for his first pursuit — nine months in a work-release program and 12 months of probation.
His work-release sentence ended in May and he had been living with an uncle, James Wade of Bothell, until roughly six weeks ago.
According to Wade, Wade-Everett had been making progress in getting his life back on track. Wade said his nephew was working and had plans to enroll in a community college, but suspects he fell back into use of the drug crystal methamphetamine.
"He's a good kid, but that drug puts the demon in him," said Wade.
Police and television helicopters chased Wade-Everett for 50 minutes Tuesday as he wove in and out of traffic on city streets and Interstate 405. He rammed a number of cars along the way and at one point crashed through a fence and drove through Wayne Golf Course in Bothell.
The chase ended when he pulled into a driveway across from Kirkland Junior High School and was quickly subdued by police.
Authorities have no plans to pursue charges against three motorists who attempted to stop the suspect during the chase by blocking or ramming the vehicle Wade-Everett was driving. However, police encourage people to think twice before becoming involved in police pursuits.
"We're not discouraging people" from taking an active role in helping to police their communities, said Michael Chiu, Bellevue police information officer.
But he said it's important that people know if they do become involved, they run the risk of being injured, of being investigated by police if they break any laws, or being liable in any civil-court actions that could result.
He said citizens can help by using their phones to report where a suspect is going, but that ramming a vehicle is a dangerous maneuver best left to trained professionals in vehicles designed to be stable upon impact.
"It's not a video game out there," said Chiu.
2 comments:
As someone who lived in Bothell, may I just say, little good comes out of Bothell.
Good observation about community colleges. I had never noticed that connection that most criminals are described by their family or friends as, "trying to get their life back together and attended classes at a community college." The link is impressive.
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