By The Chronicle
A man allegedly led an officer with the Department of Fish and Wildlife on a vehicle chase down Interstate 5 topping speeds of 100 miles per hour before being apprehended by Washington State Patrol.
Now, Kenneth J. Bach, 51, faces a single charge of attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle and two counts of hit and run. Charging documents do not indicate where Bach resides. He was taken into custody, but was deemed unfit to make an appearance for a preliminary hearing Monday afternoon.
According to a probable cause affidavit, an officer with the Department of Fish and Wildlife on Sunday was driving near the exit 68 ramp on southbound Interstate 5, where he “observed a white Dodge Ram truck stuck in a grassy area between the southbound ramp and southbound freeway shoulder of Interstate 5.”
The truck was stuck off the roadway, and the officer got out of his car and approached, getting a look at the driver, later identified as Bach. The driver was trying to get the truck free but was moving in the direction of southbound traffic. Bach got the truck free, but was facing oncoming traffic, and allegedly circled around the officer’s car and started up the exit ramp, against the officer’s orders to stop.
Bach allegedly hopped on State route 12, crossed the bridge, and got on northbound 1-5, with the officer giving chase. Speeds exceeded 100 miles per hour as the truck allegedly drove erratically from lane to lane. The officer couldn’t keep up the pace, and lost sight of the truck. He called dispatch, giving the truck’s direction of travel and description.
The officer continued northbound, encountering two vehicles on the side of the road with damage. The drivers of each said they were hit by a truck matching Bach’s vehicle’s description.
WSP Troopers apprehended Bach near mile post 76.
“The defendant was then transported to Centralia Providence Hospital for a blood draw pursuant to a search warrant. The results are pending,” read court documents.
Bach was slated to appear in Lewis County Superior Court Monday afternoon, but Judge Joely O’Rourke said he wasn’t fit to appear due to “mental health and safety reasons.” She said his hearing would be bumped back to Tuesday.
