SMOKEY POINT, Wash. — About 35 people were evacuated from their townhomes at Carroll's Creek Landing in Smokey Point Monday evening over concerns for possible gas leaks.
The evacuations came after someone stole a city work truck just after 4 p.m. and led deputies on a reckless chase through the residential neighborhood.
The driver crashed into parked cars, homes, and a gas meter, according to county officials.
Ultimately, no residents were hurt or harmed, and they were able to return home after roughly two hours, according to Courtney O'Keefe, director of communications for the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office.
The suspect, a 21-year-old man, suffered minor injuries from a dog bite after a deputy K-9 apprehended him as he tried to run away, officials said.
The man is accused of initially stealing a City of Stanwood work truck, then driving it erratically through the neighborhood to avoid officers, said O'Keefe.
"The suspect noticed the deputy behind him and began making turns and driving through parking lots in an effort to lose him. When additional units began following, the suspect quickly turned down a dead-end street into a neighborhood of housing complexes," said O'Keefe.
"One of the families, the suspect actually plowed into their minivan which was parked outside their residence, and that forced the minivan into their garage," said O'Keefe.
She said that the suspect "took off at a high rate of speed" and "began driving off-road through the neighborhood."
Impacted neighbors will need to issue claims with their homeowners' or automobile insurance, according to O'Keefe, after the suspect made structural damages to housing units.
The suspect eventually crashed into a housing unit and a gas meter, becoming wedged between the two, and that is what brought the vehicle to a stop.
Puget Sound Energy came out to address concerns about the gas meter. They turned it off, issued evacuations, and eventually deemed it safe to return.
The 21-year-old man was transported to the Snohomish County Jail and was expected to be booked Monday evening.