A 26-year-old Spanaway man faces a potential charge of attempting to elude a police officer after a street racing incident in Kent.
Kent Police arrested Joseph M. Dillon on June 3 in Spanaway for a Feb. 21 incident when he reportedly sped away from a Kent officer at speeds of 80 to 90 mph in a 35 mph zone eastbound along South 196th Street near 64th Avenue South.
Dillon had an initial court appearance on June 4, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, which asked a judge that Dillon be held on $50,000 bail. A prosecutor argued that Dillon is a danger to the community as one of the most prolific and active subjects involved in street racing, including organizing events. Law enforcement objected to his release.
A judge agreed there was probable cause for attempting to elude police, according to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The judge set bail at $10,000 and prohibited Dillon from driving and travel outside of King County if bond was posted. Dillon was released June 4 from jail after posting bail, according to county jail records.
Prosecutors are reviewing whether to file a felony charge against Dillon.
According to probable cause documents, a Kent officer saw Dillon reportedly in a black Dodge Charger doing multiple high-speed doughnuts (“drifting”) in a parking lot in the 19000 block of 64th Avenue South near other occupied vehicles. The officer drove to the parking lot of a closed business because it a known popular spot for illegal street racing.
The officer, in a fully marked Kent Police F-150 pickup, activated his emergency lights when he pulled up behind the Dodge Charger. The driver reportedly fled the parking lot and headed east on South 196th Street at a high rate of speed.
The officer pursued the Dodge for a short distance before discontinuing pursuit and losing sight of the car about 1.4 miles away from the location of the attempted traffic stop.
For about 14 years, the officer noted in his report that he has investigated illegal street racing. He said he is part of an anti-illegal street racing task force and worked with a Washington State Patrol trooper on this incident.
During their investigation they obtained search warrants for an Instagram account since that social media device is used to promote street racing. That led them to reportedly tie Dillon to the Kent case. Postings by Dillon indicated that he owned the Dodge Charger and that he planned to show it off on Feb. 21.
“I was gonna bring it out last night and get down but I swung at one spot and got chased by the Kent truck,” Dillon said according to probable cause documents.
Police reported that the Kent truck reference was to the F-150 driven by the officer on Feb. 21. The department has only a few F-150 trucks and had records showing that the officer had one of the trucks the night he pursued the Dodge Charger.
The officer and trooper during their investigation were able to track down a home address for Dillon and registration for a 2006 black Dodge Charger.
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