A Bainbridge Island man faces several charges after a chance encounter with a Kitsap County Sheriff’s deputy landed him in jail.

Austin Tyler Olmsted, 26, was arrested around 1:23 p.m. Tuesday, May 14 in Silverdale. He was booked into the Kitsap County Jail on multiple charges, including felony theft, malicious mischief, providing false or misleading statements to a public servant, possession of drug paraphernalia, and failure to appear/contempt of court.

A county deputy was patrolling the area around Silverdale Way and Randall Way on May 14 when a man darted in front of his car.

The man ran across the street despite a “Do not walk” signal at the crosswalk and a green light for crossing traffic. Police reports state that had the deputy not slowed down, he would have hit the man.

When the officer asked the man his name, he provided an identity that upon checking, did not fit his description. Police reports stated it was clear the subject was not giving his name, and the officer arrested him for obstructing and making a false statement to a public servant.

The officer searched the man and discovered a syringe and a piece of plastic containing a brown tar substance. Later testing revealed the substance to be heroin.

After being read his Miranda rights, the man allegedly told officers that his name was Austin Olmsted and said that he lied to the deputy because he had a warrant out for his arrest for felony theft.

He further told officers that he was an IV drug user, according to police reports.

The outstanding warrant was for an incident in March where Olmsted allegedly stole a purse from The Loft in downtown Poulsbo.

Poulsbo police were called to The Loft on Friday, April 5

for a theft that occurred March 30 when an employee discovered her purse missing. Security camera footage showed a man entering the restaurant, grabbing the purse from an empty banquet room, and leaving with the purse hidden under his hoody sweatshirt.

The officer assigned to the call recognized Olmsted from a previous arrest. Bainbridge Island police checked an island residence where Olmsted often stayed with a relative and handed him over to Poulsbo officers.

Olmsted allegedly told Poulsbo officers that he stole the purse because of his drug problem and that he didn’t want to go to jail because he was scheduled to go into rehabilitation soon.

Olmsted allegedly claimed that he wasn’t alone in the purse theft and that his best friend and his wife were also involved. Police reports indicate Olmsted said the three went into the restaurant looking to steal a purse, but Olmsted was the only successful one.

The purse ultimately yielded no items of value, however, and its contents were tossed off the side of the road near Fjord Drive.

Olmsted claimed that his best friend and his wife held on to the purse and that he was no longer loyal to them because he was “sickened to have watched (them) inject heroin into their arms in front of their three children.”

Olmsted led officers to the location where the purse’s contents were dumped. Officers were able to recover the contents.

Because Olmsted had cooperated with police officers, and for his motivation to seek help for his drug problem, officers released him instead of booking him into jail.

Olmsted did not follow up on the case, however, and a warrant was issue for his arrest.

Olmsted is also being charged with malicious mischief for an incident in December 2012 when his truck was reported as suspicious along a rural Poulsbo road.

When a sheriff’s deputy arrived to look at the truck, Olmsted allegedly drove away through neighboring yards to escape the officer.

Olmsted did contact police later and said he could not turn himself in because he did nothing wrong and was at work and could not leave.

When officers went to his Poulsbo residence later, Olmsted allegedly fled on foot and escaped.

Olmsted allegedly told officers over the phone he was just visiting a friend. The name of the friend that Olmsted gave was the same false name he allegedly told the sheriff’s deputy after running in front of his car.

Poulsbo officers also interviewed Olmsted’s best friend and his wife about the purse theft, but they said they were not involved with the theft.

The best friend, however, currently faces charges for another theft in which Olmsted is also a suspect.

Favian Sabado, 26, of Pouslbo was arrested on Tuesday, May 14 for trafficking stolen property.

A Poulsbo police officer was checking a pawn shop on Viking Avenue for an unrelated case and happened across Sabado’s name.

Further investigation revealed that the chainsaw was stolen from a Bainbridge Island home, and the main suspect in the island case was Olmsted.

Sabado was soon found at a local hangout and said that Olmsted told him the chain saw was his and his father’s. Sabado allegedly admitted the situation was suspicious.