A man in King County, Washington, is facing multiple charges after allegedly stealing a truck and a trailer and fleeing from police, with the trailer even going airborne at one point during the pursuit. Deputies would then find a horse inside the trailer.
According to a post shared by the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), the incident occurred back on June 14, 2026. At around 10 a.m., Southern Precinct deputies were informed of a vehicle theft.
Authorities said that reports pointed toward a man, who is yet to be identified, who had stolen a truck. A trailer was attached to it, and inside was a horse.
Deputies, taking into account the safety of the suspect, the other drivers on the road, and the animal’s well-being, knew they needed to act fast. Shortly after, the truck was spotted on Highway 18 in Auburn.
Pursuit Begins
As shown in the footage attached above, the truck can be observed travelling on Highway 18 at a high rate of speed. With the sirens going, the driver continued down the road, continuing to evade police.
The pursuit would escalate shortly after. The truck would become more erratic in its driving, as it would attempt to outrun traffic and change lanes, passing many other vehicles on the highway at more than 65 mph, the KCSO said.
The sheriff’s office said that the vehicle went airborne at one point during the pursuit. The footage shows this exact moment, as the trailer can be seen going airborne as the driver attempted to overtake another vehicle.
Man Arrested
And while dramatic, the pursuit only lasted less than a minute. Bodycam footage showed the man on the ground being placed in handcuffs.
Nearby, the deputies observed the trailer and truck that had been reported stolen. Inside the trailer was a horse, which appeared confused but, thankfully, was unharmed.
The driver is charged wtih theft of a motor vehicle, attempting to elude, second-degree animal cruelty, and hit and run. He has since pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for a trial later in July.
Reactions
The footage shared by the KCSO became viral, with many viewers from Washington and around the world reacting to the chase. Most of them, however, focused their attention on the animal’s well-being.
“Physically okay but not necessarily mentally. That horse may have some trauma going in a trailer next time,” one user said. Another one commented, “So lucky that horse wasn’t physically hurt. I hope the owner attends every court date for that thief to be sure judges don’t just give them a slap on the wrist.”
Other viewers pointed to an apparent historical capital punishment for horse thieves. This, however, is a myth, but the man could still face more than a decade behind bars if convicted of his charges.