Man ditches stolen car for kayak during chase

Published 2:47 pm Monday, September 14, 2009

Bainbridge police are searching for a man who was reportedly spotted Saturday in a stolen car, which he likely later abandoned in favor of a kayak.

At 2:34 p.m. Saturday, an officer located a gray Honda Pilot with a license plate reported as stolen in the parking lot of Battle Point Park. The officer attempted to contact the driver, police said, but he sped away.

Police said the driver ditched the vehicle following a short pursuit on an access road at the southeast corner of the park. The driver reportedly got out of the vehicle and fled into the wooded area south of the park.

A county K-9 unit joined the hunt and tracked the suspect to the waterfront on North Tolo Road, police said.

Police said a nearby resident reported his kayak was missing. Lt. Sue Shultz said it was “highly probable” that the man stole the kayak as a means of escape.

A marine patrol unit was unable to locate the suspect or the boat, a 17-foot long Eddie Line “Raven” kayak with a white hull and blue deck.

Police described the suspect as a white male between the ages of 25 and 30. He is between 5-feet 8-inches and 6-feet tall with short brown hair and an athletic build. Police said the suspect was last seen dressed in a blue, short-sleeved shirt and beige or faded blue running shorts.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Bainbridge Police Department at (206) 842-5211.