Accused hit-run driver appears in court

A man accused of crashing a stolen pickup into the front door of a house Monday in Camas made a first appearance in Clark County Superior Court on Tuesday.

Shayn M. Kaz, 27, a transient, faces allegations of possession of a stolen vehicle, hit-and-run, reckless driving and third-degree driving with a suspended or revoked license. Kaz’s license has been suspended since March 2011 for an unpaid ticket, court records said.

The Washington State Patrol received multiple reports about 11:15 a.m. Monday of a red Nissan pickup crossing multiple lanes and nearly hitting barriers and other vehicles on state Highway 14. Police learned that the vehicle was reported stolen Sunday night, according to Camas police.

At about 11:20 a.m. Monday, police received a call about the same truck crashing into a house at 2725 N.W. 24th Ave. in Camas’ Prune Hill area. The truck crashed into the front door and became lodged in the house’s brick entryway. The truck’s doors were pinned shut, so the driver kicked out the back window and fled the scene, police said.

A witness reported seeing the pickup drive through the neighborhood and into the house at approximately 70 to 80 mph, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Superior Court.

That witness told police she saw the driver run from the scene and described his clothing and haircut, court documents said.

Officers with the Washougal and Vancouver police departments, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol and a police K-9 helped Camas police search for the driver.

Several witnesses provided police with descriptions of the suspect’s clothing and physical build, the affidavit says. He was found a few blocks away from the house near Northwest 23rd Avenue and Iris Court, hiding in the bed of a landscaping pickup, police said.

The suspect was later identified as Kaz by staff at the Clark County Jail, according to court records.

During his hearing Tuesday, Judge Daniel Stahnke appointed Vancouver attorney John Terry to represent Kaz.

His bail was set at $20,000. Kaz is scheduled to be arraigned June 26.