The Chronicle
A driver fleeing Washington State Patrol troopers collided with six other vehicles — including three state patrol cars — before finally being stopped and arrested near Rochester Friday afternoon. The chase sent three people — the driver and two troopers — to the hospital.
Brian W. St. Julien, 44, of Olympia, was arrested and booked into the Thurston County Jail on charges of first-degree assault, attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle, driving under the influence and hit and run, according to the Thurston County Jail.
Drugs or alcohol are suspected to be a factor in the crash, according to the state patrol.
The crash was reported at 1:37 p.m. Friday on Northbound I-5 at Maytown. According to a news release, troopers were in pursuit of a vehicle — a silver 2003 Cadillac Seville driven by St. Julien — which was heading southbound on I-5 south at milepost 99.
The Cadillac reportedly hit a gold 2000 Jeep Cherokee driven by a 50-year-old Olympia man. The Jeep came to rest on the right shoulder of the freeway. The driver was not injured.
St. Julien meanwhile allegedly continued southbound and struck another vehicle — a gray 2007 Saturn Aura driven by a 49-year-old Olympia man — at milepost 97.
The Saturn also came to rest on the right shoulder. The driver was not injured.
The Cadillac continued southbound and hit a third vehicle — a white 2002 Dodge van driven by a 24-year-old Seatac man — while exiting I-5 onto U.S. Highway 12.
The Dodge came to rest in the westbound lane of U.S. Highway 12. The driver was not injured.
The Cadillac again continued, heading west on the highway. It then hit a fourth vehicle — a state patrol Chevrolet Caprice driven by Trooper Christopher Noll. Noll was injured and transported to Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia.
Another Washington State Patrol vehicle — a Ford Explorer driven by Trooper Kyle Stoumbaugh, — attempted a maneuver to stop the fleeing Cadillac using his own vehicle at U.S. Highway 12 near old Highway 9 in Rochester. The trooper’s vehicle sustained damage, but the Cadillac hit a telephone pole and continued east on Old Highway 9.
A third WSP vehicle, a Ford Explorer driven by Trooper Abigayle Edwards, 25, “intentionally struck” the Cadillac on eastbound Old Highway 9, near Old Highway 99, which still did not stop the Cadillac.
Edwards was injured and transported to Providence St. Peter Hospital.
St. Julien was now reportedly heading west on Old Highway 9. At that point, according to the state patrol, Stoumbagh stopped his patrol vehicle in front of the Cadillac, finally halting it.
St. Julien was injured and transported to Providence St. Peter Hospital.
