Micah Lacunza was arrested in Seattle after a citizen recognized him from a WSP Most Wanted poster. He faces a vehicular homicide charge. (Photo: WSP)
SEATTLE, Wash. — An alert Seattle citizen helped police capture a man wanted in connection with a fatal Clallam County crash after recognizing him from a Washington State Patrol Most Wanted poster.
Seattle police arrested 39-year-old Micah B. Lacunza on Oct. 5, according to WSP. Lacunza had appeared on the agency’s Most Wanted List since August while detectives searched for him on a vehicular homicide charge.
The case stems from a Feb. 15 crash on U.S. Route 101 near Palo Alto Road in Clallam County.
Investigators say Lacunza drove a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado westbound toward Sequim when he crossed the centerline and struck a 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser traveling eastbound.
Husband and wife Skylor Richford and Mathilde Richford occupied the Toyota. The crash killed Skylor Richford at the scene. Air crews transported Lacunza and Mathilde Richford to hospitals in Everett and Seattle.
Detectives believed drugs and/or alcohol impaired Lacunza when he caused the crash, based on evidence and observations from their investigation.
A Clallam County judge issued a $500,000 arrest warrant for Lacunza on the vehicular homicide charge.
WSP Detectives Tracked Lacunza To Tacoma
WSP detectives spent the following months working to find Lacunza.
Investigators eventually located him living in a tent in a Tacoma backyard. Lacunza escaped before detectives could take him into custody, according to WSP.
The WSP Most Wanted bulletin listed Lacunza as wanted for vehicular homicide with nationwide extradition. It also identified a $500,000 warrant from Clallam County Superior Court.
Seattle Citizen Spots Fugitive
The search ended Monday when a Seattle citizen recognized Lacunza from a WSP Most Wanted poster.
The citizen immediately called 911. Seattle Police Department officers responded and took Lacunza into custody without incident a short time later.
WSP credited the citizen and Seattle police for helping bring the fugitive into custody.
Lacunza will return to Clallam County to face the vehicular homicide charge, along with several other unrelated charges, according to WSP.
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