By Stacia Glenn
The News Tribune
TACOMA, Wash. — A man demanding his car back showed up at the Pierce County Jail on Thursday and stole a state Department of Corrections officer’s car when jail workers didn’t give him one, Tacoma police said.
The 22-year-old man told jail employees he wanted his car back and pointed at one of the jail transport vehicles, police spokeswoman Loretta Cool said.
When they told the man to leave, he tried to get into the car of a County-City Building employee who was sitting in it, Cool said.
When that didn’t work, he spotted the corrections officer’s car, police said.
The officer and some colleagues were chatting outside the County-City Building about 7:15 a.m. The officer was just getting off work and was warming up her car on Tacoma Avenue South.
The man jumped into the car and took off, Cool said. At least two corrections officers tried to stop him and were dragged a few feet.
The officer’s firearm was in her purse in the vehicle, she said.
The man drove onto Interstate 5 and ran another car off the road in an attempt to carjack it but was unsuccessful, Cool said.
He continued driving in the Corrections officer’s car but was stopped at Pacific Avenue and 74th Street. Both the vehicle and the weapon were recovered.
On the way to the hospital, where officers took the man for mental health and drug evaluations, he tried to get out of the police car, Cool said.
The officers pulled over and the man got out and took off running. The officers tackled the man and took him back to the car, Cool said.
He was to be booked into jail after the hospital visit, on suspicion of robbery, escape from custody and assault.