Port Angeles man jailed after police chase near Discovery Bay

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A 27-year-old Port Angeles man was jailed after trying to flee from police after the Washington State Patrol attempted to pull him over on U.S. Highway 101 for reckless driving.

Justin James Radisich was booked into Jefferson County Jail late Thursday morning on potential charges of resisting arrest, eluding a police vehicle, possession of a stolen gun, unlawful possession of a firearm, third-degree driving with a suspended license, and physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Radisich was scheduled to make his first appearance in Jefferson County Superior Court Friday.

Emergency dispatchers were called just after 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 25 after a recklessly driven vehicle was reported on Highway 101.

A trooper with the State Patrol tried to stop the SUV between Sequim and 7 Cedars Casino but terminated the pursuit due to the erratic driving of the fleeing driver, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

As the driver traveled past Discovery Bay and continued south, deputies on Highway 104 tried to stop the vehicle as it approached Milepost 7.

Detectives roughly a quarter-mile away set up spike strips and the driver of the SUV, later identified as Radisich, hit the spike strips and kept going.

As Radisich allegedly kept driving south toward Highway 19 with a flat tire, deputies performed a PIT (Pursuit Intervention Technique) maneuver to stop his car.

Once deputies stopped the vehicle, Radisich refused commands to get out of the car. According to the Sheriff's Office, he began smoking and eating several pills, which deputies believed to be fentanyl.  

Deputies broke the driver’s side window to remove Radisich from the car and he was taken to Jefferson Healthcare for possible drug ingestion. 

Two passengers within the vehicle were released, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

Investigators determined the handgun found in the vehicle had been stolen in Tacoma.