A Washington state man was recently arrested for allegedly stealing a woman’s vehicle. The stolen vehicle apparently belonged to a police officer who had been killed in an off-duty accident. The man accused of stealing the vehicle is facing multiple criminal charges, including:
- Stealing a car
- Felony hit and run
- Stealing a firearm
A fatal accident
The 49-year-old man arrested for stealing the woman’s car was apparently not the driver who initially caused the accident. A third driver hit the off-duty officer, causing fatal injuries. That driver stayed at the scene. It is not entirely clear how the defendant was involved in the accident, but shortly after it occurred, he apparently climbed into the victim’s vehicle and drove away.
Washington police say it took them a few days to track the man down to where he was staying at a hotel. However, there were other arrests made in the days leading up to this, indicating that others may have been involved to some capacity. Some of the defendant’s current charges are also for outstanding warrants that are not related to the recent car accident and alleged vehicle theft.
The defendant is still behind bars on a total of $325,000 bond, $250,000 of which is from the most recent arrest and another $75,000 for a different investigation from Jan. 2020. It is not uncommon for defendants to have very steep bonds when facing serious criminal charges. Defendants may also be facing severe criminal consequences as well, including jail time and hefty fines. Taking a measured, proactive approach to creating one’s criminal defense is often essential for those who are hoping to secure the most favorable outcome possible.