The Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) stated in a social media post that a Tuesday, Aug. 4, vehicle pursuit in north Clark County created a “wild morning for deputies — and everyone traveling on state Route 503 through Battle Ground.”
A dangerous situation involving a missing person experiencing a significant mental health episode reported by the Portland Police Bureau was brought to a close as CCSO utilized a Grappler device to bring the pursuit to a close.
“Our deputies are often called to situations involving people in crisis, and those encounters can become unpredictable in an instant,” CCSO stated on social media. “It’s remarkable that no one was seriously injured here.”
Around 10:35 a.m. on Aug. 4, CCSO deputies responded to reports of a reckless driver heading north on state Route 503 after 911 callers reported the vehicle had nearly caused multiple crashes. The same vehicle had also been linked to several hit-and-run collisions reported to Portland Police and Washington State Patrol, CCSO stated to The Reflector.
Deputies learned the female driver had been reported missing by Portland Police and was believed to be experiencing a mental health crisis. Deputies located the Toyota 4Runner on state Route 503 after it had been involved in another collision. The driver was observed traveling at speeds between 80 and 100 miles per hour and repeatedly driving into oncoming traffic, forcing several motorists off the roadway to avoid head-on collisions, CCSO stated.
Deputies attempted a traffic stop near the Fargher Lake Store, but the driver fled. Because of the immediate danger to the public, a pursuit was authorized. Deputies later deployed a Grappler device on state Route 503 in Battle Ground between Main Street and Scotton Way, which successfully brought the vehicle to a stop. The driver initially attempted to continue driving but ultimately surrendered and was taken into custody without further incident, according to CCSO.
CCSO was assisted by Washington State Patrol and the Battle Ground Police Department in the pursuit.
“Deputies determined the driver was not impaired by drugs or alcohol,” CCSO stated. “Instead, she was experiencing a significant mental health crisis. She was transported to a local hospital, where she was held for a mental health evaluation.”
