A 34-year-old man is accused of a short but destructive rampage though part of downtown Sequim early Sunday morning that led to his arrest for investigation of a variety of crimes, including motor vehicle theft and third-degree assault of a police officer.
Darryl J. Svec was arrested at 1:16 a.m. Feb. 5 after the pursuit began at about 12:30 a.m., said Sgt. Carolee Edwards of the Sequim Police Department.
He remained in the Clallam County jail Sunday afternoon on $10,000 bond for investigation of second-degree robbery; two counts of hit and run, unattended; third-degree assault of a police officer; resisting arrest; theft of a motor vehicle; interfering with the reporting of domestic violence; DUI; and malicious mischief, first and second degree.
An update on his first court appearance was not available by press time.
A Clallam County Public Utility District power pole was broken during the event. It took about 12 hours to repair it, according to Nicole Clark, PUD spokesperson. No outages were reported.
Edwards gave this police account of events:
Svec allegedly assaulted an acquaintance, forcefully took her keys and cellphone so she couldn’t call for help and locked her out of her house at about 12:30 a.m.
She fled to a neighbor’s house and called 9-1-1 emergency dispatchers to report the stolen keys and cellphone and express fear that he would steal her vehicle.
About five minutes after her call, he took her car, Edwards said.
Officers were already looking for him and found him within less than a minute after the car was stolen.
Svec allegedly evaded the traffic stop in the 200 block of West Washington Street and cut through the US Bank parking lot before turning back west in the 100 block of the street.
He hit the PUD power pole, knocking it completely off its base, hit an array of mailboxes and trash cans — scattering trash throughout the roadway — and hit a parked Toyota Prius, slamming it into the building, destroying the car and damaging the building.
He continued westbound until he stopped behind Thomas Building Supply and fled on foot.
Edwards said he left the car in gear and it rolled into an enclosed cargo trailer.
An officer followed him on foot and when he caught up to him, Svec pushed the officer to the ground — inflicting only minor injuries — and continued to run, Edwards said.
By this time, Clallam County sheriff’s deputies had arrived to assist, she said.
A call came in about a prowler in a private yard attempting to break in. Svec was found crouching next to the garage and was taken first to Olympic Medical Center for evaluation of a cut on his chin, and then to jail.
Leah Leach is executive editor of the Peninsula Daily News.
