Stolen Semi-Truck Pursuit Injures Five Officers In Everett

EVERETT, Wash. — A man in a stolen semi-truck allegedly went on a wild ride Thursday morning, injuring five law enforcement officers. Police said the suspect rammed police vehicles during a pursuit through Everett.

The scene straight from a movie script began after an employee at the Safeway at 1715 Broadway called 911 around 6:21 a.m. to report a stolen semi-truck.

Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies quickly located the truck as it entered southbound Interstate 5. The driver exited at the 112th Street Park and Ride and continued into the Silver Lake neighborhood near Thornton A. Sullivan Park.

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Stolen Semi-Truck Rams Police Vehicles

Deputies attempted to stop the truck near Silver Lake Road and 116th Place SE. Instead, police said, the driver began ramming patrol vehicles and trying to escape.

An Everett police officer sat in a patrol vehicle on an unrelated call when the semi-truck struck it.

Multiple Everett officers responded to assist the deputies. The driver continued trying to escape while striking additional police vehicles.

The truck caused collisions across three blocks before the driver stopped in the 1100 block of Andrew Sater Road.

Law enforcement officers used a 40mm launcher and then pepperball projectiles as they worked to take the driver into custody.

Officers arrested the driver at about 6:50 a.m.

The impact pushed one patrol vehicle into a community member’s vehicle. The vehicle had an occupant inside, but police said no community members suffered injuries.

Five Officers Suffer Minor Injuries

Four Everett police officers and one Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy went to a hospital with minor injuries.

The Snohomish County Jail identified the suspect as Gary Lynn Baker. Baker, who is in his 30s, also went to a hospital for an evaluation while in custody.

Jail records show Everett police booked Baker at 9:12 a.m. Thursday on 15 charges stemming from the incident.

The charges include four counts of first-degree assault, five counts of first-degree malicious mischief, three counts of hit-and-run injury, one count of hit-and-run involving an attended vehicle and property damage, one count of second-degree malicious mischief, one count of obstructing a law enforcement officer and one count of theft of a motor vehicle.

The booking record classifies the assault charges as Class A felonies, the first-degree malicious mischief charges as Class B felonies, the hit-and-run injury charges as Class C felonies and the theft charge as a Class B felony. The obstruction charge carries a gross misdemeanor classification.

The jail record lists Baker’s total bond amount at $2,000.

Baker is scheduled to appear in Everett District Court at 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11.

The investigation remains active.

Everett police said the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office and Mill Creek Police Department assisted during the incident.

Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin said the incident showed the risks law enforcement officers face while responding to dangerous situations.

“This morning’s incident is a sobering reminder of the risks law enforcement face as they’re working to keep our community safe. I want to thank our officers and the partner agencies that responded for their courage and professionalism during this dangerous and rapidly evolving situation,” said Mayor Cassie Franklin. “I’m grateful this didn’t result in more serious injuries, and my thoughts are with our injured officers as they recover.”

Everett Police Chief Robert Goetz also praised the officers and deputies who responded.

“I want to commend all law enforcement personnel involved in this incident for their remarkable bravery and professionalism throughout this dangerous situation. Their actions helped minimize the risk to our community and ensured the situation did not evolve into something even more hazardous.”

Robert Goetz, Everett Police Chief

“I want to commend all law enforcement personnel involved in this incident for their remarkable bravery and professionalism throughout this dangerous situation,” said Everett Police Chief Robert Goetz. “Their actions helped minimize the risk to our community and ensured the situation did not evolve into something even more hazardous.”

Who Pays When A Stolen Vehicle Causes A Crash?

The Everett incident also raises an insurance question for anyone whose vehicle suffers damage from a stolen vehicle.

According to Ziad Youssef of CrashLaw, insurance coverage depends on the vehicles involved, the policies in place and whether the person driving the vehicle had permission to use it.

Generally, a vehicle owner’s liability insurance does not cover damage that a thief causes after taking the vehicle without permission. Liability coverage normally applies when the insured or an authorized driver causes damage to another person or vehicle.

Coverage for the stolen vehicle itself can work differently. If the owner’s policy includes comprehensive coverage, that coverage may help pay for theft-related damage or replace the vehicle, subject to the policy’s terms and deductible. Collision coverage may apply to crash damage, depending on the policy.

If a stolen vehicle has a loan or lease and an insurer declares it a total loss, gap insurance may help cover the difference between the insurance payment and the remaining loan or lease balance, if the policy includes that coverage.

People whose vehicles suffer damage from a stolen vehicle may turn to their own collision coverage for repairs. Uninsured motorist property damage coverage may also apply in some circumstances.

The person who stole and drove the vehicle may face financial responsibility for the damage in addition to criminal charges. However, recovering money directly from a defendant can prove difficult.

Youssef recommends that anyone involved in a crash with a stolen vehicle document the damage, obtain the police report and contact their insurance company promptly. Insurance policies vary, so each insurer must determine which coverage applies to a specific claim.

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