The driver of a pickup truck is accused of turning abruptly and dangerously in front of a deputy’s car and leading a high-speed car chase before crashing on April 1, according to court documents.
The suspect, 37-year-old Oak Harbor resident Colt J. Borgeson, then led police on a foot pursuit before finally being apprehended, a deputy with the Island County Sheriff’s Office wrote in his report about the incident.
Prosecutors charged Borgeson in Island County Superior Court April 3 with attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle.
The deputy’s report on the incident explains that he was driving north on West Beach Road just before midnight when an oncoming truck suddenly turned onto Hastie Lake Road, causing him to slam on his breaks and take evasive action. The deputy nearly went into a ditch.
The deputy sped to 90 mph to catch up with the truck, which was weaving back and forth across the centerline. The driver, later identified as Borgeson, was waving his arm out the window, apparently flipping off the officer of the law. The deputy turned on his siren and aimed a spotlight at the truck, but the driver didn’t stop.
The truck turned north on Zylstra Road and accelerated to 80 mph and continued weaving, according to the report. As the truck approached a sweeping turn, Borgeson locked up the brakes, which caused him to lose control. The truck went off the road and struck some trees. The deputy later measured 242 feet of skid marks.
The deputy got out of his car and drew his gun, yelling at the driver through the smoke in the air. He heard crashing through the bushes as Borgeson ran away, the report states.
Other deputies and Oak Harbor police arrived to chase the suspect through brush and field. The deputy later saw Borgeson running from officers and diving over a fence as he continued to flee. Borgeson finally gave up when he was surrounded, the report states.
Borgeson had an outstanding Department of Corrections warrant in a robbery case, according to court documents. He appeared in Island County Superior Court April 2, and the judge set his bail at $20,000.
If convicted of the charge against him, Borgeson could face from three to eight months in prison under the standard sentencing range.
