Man shot by WSP trooper charged with assault, eluding

SNOHOMISH, Wash. -- A Federal Way man who took a bullet for allegedly trying to ram a Washington State Patrol trooper with his truck was charged Tuesday with attempting to elude and second degree assault.

WSP officials said the incident began at about 6:30 a.m. Sunday when a trooper spotted the 50-year-old suspect driving recklessly in a Ford pickup at speeds of more than 100 mph on northbound Interstate 5 at 128th Street.

The trooper attempted to pull over the driver, but he continued speeding north on I-5. The trooper radioed for assistance, and other state troopers put out a spike strip near the 80th Street exit at Marysville, said Snohomish County sheriff's spokeswoman Shari Ireton.

The suspect drove over the spikes, but continued driving with a damaged tire. He pulled off the freeway at Smokey Point, headed east, then turned south on Highway 9, where troopers clocked him going at more than 90 mph.

By that time, numerous other law enforcement personnel had joined the pursuit. The chase finally ended when police cornered the suspect at a Shell gas station at 164th Street SE and Highway 9, south of Snohomish.

One of the troopers opened fire when the driver appeared to accelerate toward them, a Washington State Patrol spokesman said. The driver was hit in the shoulder and taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. He was released on Tuesday and booked into Snohomish County Jail.

The trooper was not hurt.