Driver leads police on 100-mph chase from West Richland to Kennewick

A man upset about being questioned by West Richland police early Thursday morning was arrested after he led officers on a high-speed chase through the Tri-Cities.

West Richland police were called to a disturbance in a residential area not far from the intersection of Bombing Range Road and Van Giesen Street about 1:30 a.m. Officers learned a resident had an argument with Jason Caryl II, 22, of Kennewick, who had left the home in a red Suzuki SUV.

Caryl was spotted minutes later at a convenience store and officers stopped and questioned him, said Capt. Ben Majetich. After determining there was no wrongdoing, Caryl was told he could leave. He allegedly got into his vehicle and peeled out of the store parking lot, nearly hitting a police car and sped down Van Giesen Street.

Police caught up with him and attempted to pull him over for reckless driving, but Caryl refused to stop and sped toward the intersection with Highway 240, eventually driving into Kennewick. Majetich said Caryl reached speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour.

Spike strips were deployed near the Columbia Center Boulevard overpass on the highway, puncturing all four of Caryl’s tires. He took the vehicle off the highway at the overpass with Edison Street, abandoned it on a side street and attempted to flee on foot.

However, West Richland officer Mitchell Coates was in close pursuit and followed Caryl on foot, eventually pulling down Caryl after he tried to jump a fence, Majetich said.

The vehicle Caryl drove belongs to his sister and brother-in-law. He had been staying with the couple for the past two weeks, said brother-in-law Nathan Ottley.

Caryl took the vehicle without their knowledge by slipping the key off a key ring. It’s unclear who he went to see in West Richland.

“I was trying to help him out and be a nice guy but you can’t do that anymore,” Ottley told the Herald.

Majetich said his agency and others are usually reticent to participate in vehicle chases because of the risk to the public. But the lack of cars on the road because of the hour and Caryl’s recklessness prompted officers to pursue him. Officers from the three other Tri-City police departments and Washington State Patrol also participated in the chase.

Caryl was booked into the Benton County jail on suspicion of felony eluding and reckless driving. Majetich said further charges are possible.

This story was originally published June 9, 2016 at 9:05 AM with the headline "Driver leads police on 100-mph chase from West Richland to Kennewick."