Port Angeles man faces trial on charges of eluding police

PORT ANGELES — The trial of a Port Angeles man facing two separate felony eluding-police charges filed in the past five months is scheduled for December.

Christopher Michael White, 24, has been charged with felony eluding in June and October.

He pleaded not guilty last Friday to one count each of attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle and obstructing a law enforcement officer after a brief Oct. 2 car chase that ended when the car White was allegedly driving hit a power pole in the Carlsborg area.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Clallam County Sheriff’s Deputy Matt Murphy pulled White over in the 100 block of Lewis Road, but White allegedly drove away as Murphy approached the car on foot.

Murphy gave chase briefly along Lewis Road but backed off when the speed became too great for the county road, according to Murphy’s arrest report.

White also was charged in June with one count of attempting to elude a police vehicle after allegedly leading a Lower Elwha Klallam tribal police officer on a car chase June 10 that reportedly reached speeds up to 100 mph along U.S. Highway 101.

A preliminary trail date of Dec. 2 has been set in both instances.

White will next appear in Superior Court on Nov. 1 for a status hearing on this case and is slated to appear in court Nov. 8 for a status hearing on the Oct. 2 charges, according to Superior Court documents.

White remained in the Clallam County jail Thursday on $50,000.

Deputy accounts

According to deputy accounts, deputies were looking for the car White allegedly was driving Oct. 2 after security staff at the east Port Angeles Walmart saw the car in the store parking lot at about 4 p.m. and called 9-1-1 because the car had been associated with a shoplifting the day before.

White allegedly failed to stop for Murphy, and the deputy later found the car damaged after it hit a power pole in the 800 block of Lewis Road.

Two passengers were treated on the scene for minor injuries, with one taken to Olympic Medical Center. White was not found near the car.

Sgt. Randy Pieper of the Sheriff’s Office arrested White a short time later on nearby Heuhslein Road.

In the June 10 arrest, White was found in the woods near the 200 block of Bishop Road off state Highway 112 after a search by tribal police, deputies, State Patrol troopers and Port Angeles Police Officer Lucas DeGand and police dog Bogey.

Bogey was loosed upon White and allowed to bite him after he reportedly refused to come out from behind a stand of bushes, according to police accounts.

White was treated at OMC for bite wounds on his right arm and discharged into police custody.

________

Reporter Jeremy Schwartz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jschwartz@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Boating coach Eric Lesch, at a whiteboard, explains sailing techniques to a youth sailboat class. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Teenagers learning boating skills through program

Nonprofit funded by grants, agencies and donations

Land trust successful with campaign fund

Public access expected to open this year

Mark Hodgson.
Hodgson plans to run for Port Angeles City Council

Schromen-Wawrin, who currently holds seat, won’t run again

Pet vaccination clinic set for Saturday in Port Townsend

Pet Helpers of Port Townsend will conduct a pet… Continue reading

Charter Review Commission to conduct town hall Monday

The Clallam County Charter Review Commission will conduct a… Continue reading

Alexander Hamilton.
Clallam deputies graduate from state training center

Corrections deputies Alexander Hamilton and Cameron Needham have graduated… Continue reading

Parker Brocious, 6, from Cedar Hills, Utah, studies tubs containing plankton, krill and other small ocean creatures used by the Port Townsend Marine Science Center for education purposes while on a road trip with his family on Tuesday at Fort Worden State Park. Parker’s father Tyler is at left. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Science education

Parker Brocious, 6, from Cedar Hills, Utah, studies tubs containing plankton, krill… Continue reading

Port Angeles approves lodging tax fund requests

Vacancy on committee brings legal questions

OMC hires family medicine physician

Dr. Calvin Kuo will join hospital in August

Colton Dufour, left, and his mom Cherie Tachell. (Cherie Tachell)
Boy seriously injured following hit-and-run

Condition is stable, but more testing underway for Sequim teenager

Applications open for Forks council seat

The Forks City Council is accepting applications to fill a… Continue reading