She just wanted to keep the kitten safe. Unfortunately, “safe” turned out to mean “hiding under a pickup truck after fleeing a stolen vehicle,” which is not exactly what most cat owners mean by responsible pet care.
On March 15, around 2:30 in the afternoon, Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report involving a freshly stolen vehicle near Golden Given Road. Two suspects were inside. What followed was one of those stories that makes you wonder if anyone involved thought any of this through.
The 29-year-old driver bolted on foot and was caught quickly because, as it turns out, criminals rarely have a better cardio base than law enforcement. He was arrested without much fanfare.
The 23-year-old passenger, however, had priorities. She grabbed her kitten and ran.
Deputies searched the area for a few minutes before locating her in what may be the least glamorous hiding spot in Washington State history: the underside of a parked pickup truck. Not a getaway car. A parked pickup truck. She came out, got on her stomach to be handcuffed, and immediately made her first formal request of law enforcement.
“Dude, can I please get my kitten? I just wanted to keep him safe.”
The deputy, showing the kind of dry wit that deserves its own Netflix special, responded: “You should’ve left him in the car, then. You call this keeping him safe?”
The cat was fine.
What the Charges Look Like When You Add It All Up
The driver racked up an impressive collection of legal troubles: eluding, resisting arrest, theft of a motor vehicle, driving while his license was suspended, and multiple felony warrants. That last part is worth noting. Multiple. Felony. Warrants. This was not a man who made one bad decision on a Tuesday afternoon.
The passenger was charged with theft of a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, and additional misdemeanor warrants. She also briefly added “cat wrangler under active police pursuit” to her resume, though that one probably will not help in future job interviews.
The kitten, charged with nothing, was turned over to the Tacoma Humane Society and is presumably doing great.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office offered some genuinely useful life advice in the wake of the incident: “If you’re going to commit a crime, it’s probably not a good idea to take your animals with you.”
Sound guidance. And honestly, good advice for car enthusiasts too. Just because your buddy says “trust me, take a look at this engine” does not mean you owe him a getaway.