Three Pasco residents were arrested and jailed Wednesday morning on theft charges stemming from an incident at Pilot Truck Stop in Stanfield.
According to Capt. Travis Eynon, around 2:23 a.m. on Wednesday, Hermiston Police Department officer Mike Ellwood saw a primer gray Chevy Impala in the area of N. First Street and E. Elm Avenue. The car had two semi- truck tires strapped to the top of it.
“This is not something you see every day and officer Ellwood felt it was a bit suspicious so he turned around to follow and get a better look at the vehicle and the odd configuration,” said Eynon.
As Ellwood was turning around, the suspect vehicle accelerated and made a right on N.E. Fourth Street. By the time, Ellwood was able to get to N.E. Fourth Street, the vehicle was making a left on E. Jennie Avenue. According to Eynon, Ellwood was attempting to catch up to the vehicle to make a traffic stop and found one of the two tires rolling down the street in the 600 block of E. Jennie Avenue. He found another tire in road in the 600 block of N.E. Sixth Street. Ellwood was able to locate the vehicle and the occupants parked in a driveway that was not theirs in the 700 block of E. Sunset Avenue.
The vehicle was being operated by Richard Ingersoll, 33. Passengers in the car were Michael Garrison, 33, Crystal Smith, 37, all from Pasco.
The investigation revealed the tires were stolen from Pilot Truck Stop in Stanfield. The occupants of the vehicle were also found to be in possession of stolen property from the Pilot Store.
Garrison was charged with second-degree theft, and Smith was charged with third-degree theft. Ingersoll was charged by Hermiston Police Department with reckless driving, reckless endangerment and second-degree theft.
