GIG HARBOR, WASH. — Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 38-year-old man in Gig Harbor, Washington, on Wednesday after he attempted to flee from a traffic stop twice. The incident began shortly before 2:45 a.m., when deputies observed the man driving a Mazda SUV northbound on Steele Street at approximately 70 mph in a zone where the speed limit is 35 mph.

Deputies initiated a traffic stop at the 7-Eleven located at 9517 South Steele Street. When asked for registration and proof of insurance, the driver briefly opened his glove box, revealing a black handgun inside. After deputies ordered the man to exit the vehicle, he instead started the car and attempted to reverse, prompting officers to pull him from the SUV and handcuff him following a brief struggle.

While being searched, the suspect broke free from a deputy and fled on foot while still handcuffed. He ran approximately 100 yards before two deputies caught up to him and pushed him to the ground, ending the second flight attempt. Law enforcement later found cocaine, opioids, methamphetamines, baggies, a digital scale, and $2,184 in cash on the suspect’s person.

A search warrant executed on the suspect’s vehicle yielded additional illegal substances, three EBT cards, another person’s driver’s license, and more empty baggies. According to Pierce County Superior Court records, the suspect was charged with three counts of drug possession with intent to deliver, one count of first-degree firearm possession, one count of obstructing law enforcement, and one count of resisting arrest.

The suspect was taken into custody at the Pierce County Jail and faces a bail amount of $100,000. Research published in BMC Public Health in 2023 evaluated outcomes of a case management program for mothers with prenatal substance use in Washington State between 2006 and 2017, highlighting ongoing public health concerns related to substance use in the region.