YAKIMA WA May 26 2019  — A Selah man charged with eluding after leading Yakima County sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed chase over Mother’s Day weekend is now accused of trying to hijack a parking-lot shuttle.
A deputy went to Legends Hotel Casino near Toppenish around 9:57 p.m. Sunday to assist with apprehending the 31-year-old man, who was wanted for violating parole conditions, according to a probable-cause affidavit. A Yakama Nation tribal officer said he spotted the suspect being chased out of the casino by a man who said the suspect had a warrant for his arrest, the affidavit said.
As the tribal officer chased the suspect into the parking lot, the suspect turned toward the officer, yelled that he had a gun and then reached for his waistband and pointed his finger at the officer as if it were a gun, the affidavit said.
The officer momentarily took cover behind a vehicle as the suspect threatened to shoot him, but resumed the foot chase, the affidavit said. Shortly afterward, the suspect jumped on a parking lot shuttle bus, poked the driver in the back and told him to drive, as he had a gun, the affidavit said.
Instead, the driver pushed down on the brake pedal, the affidavit said. The suspect crawled on to the driver’s lap and pushed on the accelerator, the affidavit said. The tribal officer was able to reach through the van’s door and pull the suspect from the van after a brief struggle, the affidavit said.
Casino security and the tribal officer searched the suspect and found 13.5 grams of a crystal-like substance that later tested positive for methamphetamine, as well as 3.4 grams of what is believed to be heroin, the affidavit said.
Yakima County Superior Court Judge David Elofson set bail at $60,000 Thursday for the man, who is being held on suspicion of attempted kidnapping, drug possession, resisting arrest and fourth-degree assault.
He has also been charged with eluding and possession of stolen property after deputies said he led them on a chase May 11 in an SUV pulling a stolen trailer, with speeds reaching 80 mph on Fruitvale Boulevard before deputies broke off the pursuit for safety reasons, according to court documents.
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