PORT TOWNSEND — One suspect remained in custody Monday after allegedly leading Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed chase from 7 Cedars Casino into Port Townsend while driving a stolen pick-up truck.
At approximately 8:03 p.m. Sunday, the Sheriff’s Office was alerted to a possible stolen vehicle from 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn that was being followed by the vehicle owner’s friend along U.S. Highway 101.
At 8:15 p.m., deputy Sheriff Justin Coronado located the pick-up truck and turned on his emergency lights to stop the truck, according to the probable cause statement.
The driver was later identified as Oscar S. Hernandez-Buenrostro of Lynnwood.
The truck sped up heading east, giving off a “large black cloud of exhaust” and Coronado gave chase with lights and sirens and was eventually joined by two other Sheriff’s Office vehicles, the statement said.
During the pursuit, a red Dodge Dart attempted to cut off the sheriff’s deputies, the statement said.
The pursuit continued north on state highways 19 and 20.
When attempting to turn onto Highway 19, the truck drove into a ditch, backed out and struck Coronado’s car, the statement said.
When the chase reached Port Townsend, deputies terminated the pursuit due to losing sight of the vehicle, the statement said
The stolen truck was later found abandoned near the Department of Social and Health Services building off of Rainier Street.
A K-9 team from Kitsap County was summoned and assisted in locating Hernandez-Buenrostro, who was hiding in the woods near the vehicle with the keys to the truck and an air-bladder that is used by locksmiths and tow companies to unlock vehicles, the statement said.
Hernandez-Buenrostro also had two Washington state driver’s licenses in his possession that were for another person, the statement said.
During the investigation, deputies learned of two additional suspects in a red Dodge Dart who were with the suspect at the casino, the statement said.
The Dart was spotted driving near the stolen vehicle in Port Townsend and pulled over. Drugs, a handgun and an orange emergency hammer used to break car windows was found, the statement said.
Mikayla S. Winkler, the suspected driver of the Dart, was arrested Sunday night, and on Monday morning was charged with attempted vehicular assault, possession of methamphetamine, making or possessing motor vehicle theft tools, and use of drug paraphernalia, according to the probable cause statement.
Joshua Daniels, the suspected passenger in the Dart and owner of the handgun, was arrested Sunday night and on Monday morning was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, possessing stolen property in the second degree-access device, and possession of a controlled substance-heroin, according to the probable cause statement.
Winkler and Daniels, both of Renton, were released from the Jefferson County jail Monday on their own recognizance, court documents said.
The driver of the truck, Hernandez-Buenrostro, is still in custody, and was charged Monday with theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle, assault in the second degree-deadly weapon, attempting to elude pursuing police vehicle-endangerment, possession of another’s identification and making or possessing motor vehicle theft tools, the statement said.
All three suspects are set to have their initial arraignment in Jefferson County Superior Court on Friday.
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Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 5, or at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com.