KITSAP COUNTY, WA — Deputies in Kitsap County pulled an injured driver from a burning SUV after a late-night pursuit reached 111 mph and ended in a violent crash near Kingston. The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office said body camera video captures the rescue, which unfolded after a deputy tried to stop the driver for speeding on State Route 104.
The incident began around 11:30 p.m. Monday and quickly escalated when the driver refused to pull over. After the vehicle sped away through north Kitsap County, a deputy temporarily lost sight of it before finding the SUV wrecked, on fire, and trapped after crashing through a fence and into a tractor in the 20600 block of Miller Bay Road Northeast.
Deputy tried to stop the SUV on State Route 104 in Kingston
The sheriff’s office said the first attempt to stop the driver happened on State Route 104 in Kingston after the deputy observed speeding. Instead of yielding, the driver fled, turning a routine traffic stop into a high-risk pursuit across north Kitsap County.
As the SUV accelerated, investigators said it reached 111 mph. The speed and the driver’s decision to continue running made the situation more dangerous as the pursuit moved away from the original stop location and into a more rural area with fences, road edges, and nearby property in the path of the vehicle.
Officials did not say how long the chase lasted before the crash, only that the deputy lost sight of the SUV and then located it again after it had already gone off the road and caught fire. The crash site was in the 20600 block of Miller Bay Road Northeast.
SUV struck a fence and tractor before fire trapped the driver
When the deputy found the vehicle, the SUV had crashed through a fence, struck a tractor, and ignited. The driver was still inside the wreckage as flames spread around the vehicle. The sheriff’s office described the scene as a rescue situation rather than a standard arrest, with the driver unable to get out on his own.
The collision added to the seriousness of the pursuit because the SUV had not simply pulled over or come to a stop. It had left the roadway, broken through a barrier, and collided with farm equipment before catching fire. That left deputies and arriving officers with only a brief window to act before conditions worsened.
Body camera video from the incident shows the urgency of the response, according to the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office. The footage documents the effort to reach the trapped driver while the SUV burned.
Deputies and officers broke windows and fought the flames
Deputies were joined by officers from Suquamish and Port Gamble in trying to get the driver out. The agencies worked together to break the SUV’s windows, suppress the fire, and free the man from the vehicle before the blaze spread further.
The coordinated effort was essential because the driver was pinned inside a burning wreck. The sheriff’s office said the officers did not wait for firefighters before taking action, but worked immediately to reach the man and keep the fire from making the rescue even more difficult.
That quick response likely helped limit the time the driver spent trapped in the SUV. Police have not released details about the driver’s identity or age, but they said he was injured in the crash and needed additional medical help after being removed from the vehicle.
Firefighters prepared the driver for an airlift to the hospital
North Kitsap Fire and Rescue firefighters arrived after the rescue effort was underway and prepared the injured man to be airlifted to the hospital. Officials said the severity of his injuries made the helicopter transport necessary.
The crash and fire turned the incident into a major emergency response involving deputies, local officers, and fire crews. The final steps focused on stabilizing the driver so he could receive treatment as quickly as possible.
No hospital was named, and authorities did not release a condition update beyond saying the injuries were serious enough to require an airlift. The sheriff’s office also did not provide a timeline for how long the man remained trapped before he was freed.
Reckless driving and eluding charges are expected after recovery
Once the driver recovers, the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office said he is expected to be charged with reckless driving and eluding. Those charges reflect both the speed of the pursuit and the decision to run from the attempted traffic stop.
The sheriff’s office has not announced a booking or formal filing date, likely because the man was hospitalized after the crash. For now, the case centers on the pursuit itself, the crash into a fence and tractor, and the rescue that followed.
The video of the incident underscores how quickly a speeding stop can turn into a life-threatening emergency. In this case, deputies said the driver’s attempt to flee left him trapped in a burning vehicle and forced first responders to shift from pursuit to rescue.
