Warrant out for Burlington man who led police on chase

A 51-year-old Burlington man who led deputies on a chase across North Whidbey last fall is wanted on a $10,000 warrant, but prosecutors have a pretty good idea where to find him.

Diego Marin was charged in Island County Superior Court May 19 with attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle and resisting arrest.

On the day before Halloween, a detective with the Island County Sheriff’s Office found out that Marin was staying at a hotel in Oak Harbor. Marin was wanted on a $200,000 warrant out of Skagit County for a felony drug crime.

The detective followed Marin as he drove north on Highway 20. Deputy Chris Garden with the Island County Sheriff’s Office, who was riding with a reserve deputy, joined the pursuit and pulled the car over near Frostad Road.

Garden used his loudspeaker to order the two occupants to raise their hands and put them out the window. The driver complied, but not the passenger. Garden gave the command again, but soon realized that the passenger was a dog.

Marin waved his arms and yelled something, then sped away. The deputies chased him as he sped past cars northbound on the highway, Garden wrote in his report.

The fleeing vehicle turned onto Northgate Drive and then onto a dirt road that turned into a grassy trail. The car chase ended when Marin struck an embankment and fled on foot through heavy brush. The deputies cornered him and Garden took him to the ground, the report states.

Marin told the deputy that he ran because he was scared he might get beat up by police.

The dog was released to the custody of the mother of Marin’s girlfriend.

Judge Alan Hancock authorized a $10,000 warrant on Marin after he didn’t appear at a June 2 hearing. Deputy Prosecutor Eric Ohme said Marin was serving time in prison.

If convicted of the charges against him, Marin could face up to six months of incarceration under the standard sentencing range.

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