CENTRALIA — Police arrested a car theft suspect early Monday morning after a brief pursuit led the stolen vehicle to be driven into a pond.
According to Centralia police, around 1:34 a.m. Monday, a Central City Police Officer located a stolen vehicle in their city.
Centralia Officers responded to the area to assist. Central City Police attempted to stop the vehicle as it was traveling North on US 51. However, the vehicle fled.
Officers pursued the vehicle to the area of Norton Road and Community Beach Road, where the driver of the stolen vehicle reportedly proceeded down a driveway in the area, eventually driving onto an ATV path and finally driving the stolen vehicle into a pond. The driver exited the vehicle, swam across the pond and fled on foot.
A Centralia Police K9 Team was called to assist in the pursuit and was able to track where the driver was last observed and approximately 20 minutes later the driver was located in a heavily wooded area.
The suspect was taken into custody by CCPD and CPD officers without incident.