Hopped up thief leads police chase

A 24-year-old Oak Harbor man is accused of stealing a car, leading a state trooper on a brief chase, crashing the car and resisting arrest, all of which occurred after he drank beer and took speed, heroin, Xanax and Percocet, court documents indicate.

A 24-year-old Oak Harbor man is accused of stealing a car, leading a state trooper on a brief chase, crashing the car and resisting arrest, all of which occurred after he drank beer and took speed, heroin, Xanax and Percocet, court documents indicate.

Prosecutors charged John Llewellyn in Island County Superior Court Aug. 3 with attempt to elude, theft of a motor vehicle, resisting arrest and DUI.

In his report on the incident, Trooper Larry Provoncha with the Washington State Patrol wrote that he saw a car traveling without headlights on after 11 p.m. on Oak Harbor Road July 30. He turned on his emergency lights and tried to pull the car over, but it accelerated to 60 to 70 mph in the 30 mph zone.

“It was plainly evident that the vehicle was attempting to elude me,” the trooper wrote, adding that the car continued to speed without headlights on.

Provoncha followed the car at NW Crosby Avenue, where the driver almost lost control at the intersection. The driver then turned into a trailer park and crashed into a rock structure.

According to the report, Llewellyn got out of the car and put his hands in the air. Provoncha pointed his taser gun at him, but Llewelyn suddenly bolted. The trooper shot the taser, but it fell short.

Provoncha chased Llewelyn and caught him as he was climbing a fence. The trooper wrestled Llewelyn to the ground and handcuffed him.

It turned out, Provoncha wrote, that the car belonged to Llewelyn’s stepmother and she hadn’t given him permission to use it.

Llewellyn told the trooper that he hadn’t stopped because his license was revoked and he was afraid of getting into trouble. He also said he had been drinking beer and had taken speed, heroin, Xanax and Percocet that day, the trooper wrote.

If convicted of the charges against him, Llewellyn could face up to a year and a half in prison under the standard sentencing range.