The suspect in the pursuit of a stolen vehicle which began in Yelm and ended in Pierce County early Monday morning escaped from a Department of Corrections work release program in March, according to Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Scott Jackson of the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office.
The suspect, Miguel Martinez, 23, made his preliminary appearance in Thurston County Superior Court on Tuesday afternoon via Zoom. Jackson said that he wasn’t scheduled to be released from DOC custody until May.
The pursuit began on Hwy 510 near Mud Run Rd in Yelm around 1:00 am Monday. Yelm Police attempted to stop the vehicle and it took off. They continued through Yelm, over the bridge into McKenna, and ended up on SR 507 north of Roy.
The suspect then stopped the vehicle and began holding a knife to his throat. Crisis negotiators were called to the scene, but deputies ended up forcing the suspect out of the vehicle with gas.
The Thurston County Superior Court set Martinez’ bail at $20,000 for the new charges. As of Wednesday morning, he is still in custody at the Thurston County Jail. It’s unclear what would happen if he posted bail, but he would likely just be returned to DOC to finish his prison sentence.
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