Everett, WA – Dico, the police K-9 has helped his fellow human officers capture another bad guy.
Just before 11 p.m. on December 18, a deputy attempted to make a traffic stop on a vehicle with no front license plate driving in the 3300 block of Marine Drive NE. The vehicle pulled into a nearby gas station, stopped and let out two passengers before fleeing from the scene. The deputy pursued the vehicle with lights and sirens and the suspect continued to accelerate and while driving recklessly, passing multiple vehicles, and driving in the oncoming traffic lane.
He eventually pulled into a driveway on the south side of Marine Dr. NE in the 1000 block. As the driveway came to an end, the suspect immediately got out and ran on foot into a heavily wooded area. Deputy Byrd and K-9 Dico responded to the scene to attempt to locate the suspect.
K-9 Dico quickly acquired the suspect’s scent and started tracking southbound away from the car into the woods down a small walking trail. K-9 Dico tracked through the woods and to an abandoned property near the water line of the Ebey Slough. K-9 Dico then made a right turn and started tracking westbound through the property which sits very close to the water. They came to a small barbed wire fence and K-9 Dico started sniffing it.
Deputy Byrd shined his light in the area he was sniffing and observed a dry black beanie stuck on one of the barbs from the fence.
K-9 Dico continued tracking and gave a good proximity alert, indicating the suspect was nearby. Deputy Byrd continued to give verbal commands that the area was being searched by a police dog and for the suspect to surrender. They approached very steep muddy hill covered in thick bramble and blackberry bushes several feet high near Ebey Slough
. A drone operator from Getchell Fire Department indicated he was receiving a heat signature about 20-30 feet in front of the team. Moments later, K-9 Dico contacted and apprehended the suspect. The suspect, a 31-year-old Edmonds man, was arrested and booked into Snohomish County Jail for an attempt to elude, obstructing a law enforcement officer, driving with a suspended license, and an outstanding warrant.