The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office apprehended a suspect on Wednesday, Feb. 26, who allegedly made bomb threats and was driving recklessly with a 4-year-old family member in their car.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office had received a priority request for help with the suspect after local agencies located the vehicle, which began driving recklessly down Old Highway 99 toward Tenino, according to a statement online by Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders.
“Undersheriff Mancillas happened to be in the area, and had a Grappler-equipped F-250,” Sanders wrote.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office obtained the Grappler nets last year to use as an alternative to PIT maneuvers, or precision immobilization technique, which can be risky and cause damage to patrol vehicles, according to previous reporting.
“The Grappler was deployed successfully and stopped the vehicle with no injuries to any involved parties or bystanders,” Sanders wrote.
The child was taken into custody to be reunited with their parents, and the suspect has been turned over to the originating agency after allegedly admitting to using fentanyl.
“Great teamwork by all the involved agencies to bring a safe resolution to this critical incident,” Sanders wrote.
