Car chased on Navy’s outlying field

A 46-year-old Coupeville man is accused of leading police on a high-speed chase on a runway at the Navy’s outlying field on Central Whidbey, according to court documents.

James Slone pleaded not guilty in Island County Superior Court March 27 to attempting to elude pursuing police vehicles and driving under the influence.

Coupeville Deputy Jim Covert wrote in his report that he responded to a call of a possible drunk driver on Highway 20. Covert was later advised that the Navy was “out with the vehicle” at the outlying field.

Covert wrote that he drove to the runway and saw a Navy truck chasing the trespassing vehicle, which was traveling at a high rate of speed. The deputy joined the chase and the car accelerated even faster on the runway, Covert wrote.

The vehicle started sparking and smoking from underneath. The driver, later identified as Slone, turned around at the end of the runway and the chase continued, Covert wrote. It finally ended when Slone stopped at the north end of the runway, as one of the front tires was gone and the car was running on the rim.

Covert wrote that a stand-off ensued as Slone refused to get out of the car and more law enforcement arrived at the scene. Finally, officers approached the vehicle, tasered Slone and took him into custody.

Covert wrote that Slone had “a strong odor of intoxicants,” but refused to submit to a blood test.