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Monday, March 18, 2024
March 18, 2024

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Yacolt man sentenced in car chase

By , Columbian Local News Editor
Published:

A Yacolt man involved in a January police pursuit, in which he allegedly tried to ram a patrol vehicle, was sentenced Monday to more than four years in prison.

Andre D. Kennedy, 40, pleaded guilty in Clark County Superior Court in four separate cases to two counts of attempting to elude police, two counts of possession of a stolen vehicle, first-degree theft and heroin possession. Kennedy also entered an “in re barr” plea to felony criminal mischief in the January police pursuit. The plea allows a defendant to plead guilty to a lesser related charge he didn’t commit in order to avoid conviction for a greater offense.

According to the Washington State Patrol, a trooper spotted a silver Kia Sorento with a stolen license plate traveling south on Interstate 205 and onto eastbound Highway 500 at about 11:45 p.m. Jan. 31.

Additional troopers waited for the vehicle near the intersection of 112th Avenue and Northeast 51st Circle, just south of the Gher Road offramp from Highway 500. The vehicle left the highway and went into a 7-Eleven parking lot, where troopers attempted to stop it. Instead, the driver sped off, reaching speeds in excess of 100 mph while traveling in 30- and 40-mph zones.

During the pursuit, which spanned about 4 miles, the driver tried to ram a patrol vehicle numerous times, troopers said.

The fleeing vehicle struck a police vehicle, and the driver locked up his brakes in an attempt to cause several collisions, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Superior Court.

Troopers stopped the vehicle near the intersection of Northeast Ponderosa Pine Avenue and Hearthwood Boulevard by using a pursuit technique that sends the vehicle into a spin.

During sentencing, Kennedy denied ramming the patrol vehicle. Still, he said he’s not proud of the decisions he’s made and admitted that he has a drug problem.

Judge Gregory Gonzales sentenced Kennedy to a total of 49 months between the four cases. He was given credit for some time served in the jail.

The prosecution said it agreed not to file an additional attempt to elude case against Kennedy as part of his plea deal.

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