Man faces multiple charges for stealing police car
By Dan Thesman on Tuesday, July 25th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
KENNEWICK – Christoffer Pearson, 39, of Kennewick faces multiple charges after stealing a Kennewick Police Department patrol car Monday night and fleeing the area after officers responded to reports of Pearson walking on South Newport Street armed with multiple knives.
Kennewick officers were first dispatched at 6:12 p.m. to Pearson’s residence on the 1200 block of South Newport Street for a welfare check. Pearson called dispatch 27 times making threats and refusing to answer the dispatcher’s questions as to what type of assistance was needed. Contact with Pearson by Kennewick officers was unsuccessful.
Then at 7:58 p.m., a neighbor reported Pearson was now outside of his residence cursing at people with unknown items in his hands. When two Kennewick officers responded, Pearson was walking down the street armed with multiple knives. Due to Pearson’s aggressive approach, officers quickly exited their patrol cars to give commands and left their cars running. When officers moved back to maintain a safe distance, Pearson disobeyed the officers’ commands and began throwing knives at the officers. Pearson then approached the cars, slashing one vehicle on the hood and window causing significant damage before entering a patrol vehicle and fleeing the area.
Pearson was pursued into Richland until an assisting Pasco officer performed a precision immobilization technique, commonly known as a PIT manuever. Pearson stopped and fled from the KPD patrol vehicle and was apprehended by a Benton County Sheriff’s Office K9 unit.
After being medically cleared from an area hospital, Pearson was booked into the Benton County Jail on suspicion of three counts of second-degree assault, first-degree robbery, auto theft, felony eluding, two counts of felony malicious mischief, 27 counts of misuse of 911, DUI, obstructing a police officer and resisting arrest. The Richland Police Department charged Pearson with one count of felony threats for making statement to commit a shooting at Kadlec Regional Medical Center regarding an earlier incident.
No injuries were reported during this incident.
Photo via Kennewick Police Department
