Sequim Gazette staff

Sequim Gazette staff

Kenneth Scott Johnson, 35, went to court on Monday, Oct. 27, after leading law enforcement on a chase early in the morning in and around Sequim to Discovery Bay on Saturday, Oct. 25.

Johnson was wanted on three misdemeanor warrants, two felony warrants and at least one felony charge of failing to register as a sex offender. His arraignment is set for 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 31, with Judge Erik Rohrer setting his bond at $150,000 on Monday. He also faces counts of robbery in the first degree, two counts of theft in the second degree motor vehicle wrongfully obtained or exert unauthorized control and attempting to elude pursuing police.

Chief Criminal Deputy Ron Cameron said deputies received information about 1:11 a.m. Saturday that Johnson was in a green 2001 Subaru in Sequim. Sequim Police later pulled over the vehicle.

The driver, Jared Gagnon, was ordered to throw his keys out and step out of the vehicle following the officer’s directions before Johnson allegedly sped off in the vehicle, Cameron said, and the driver informed deputies Johnson had a shotgun.

Law enforcement pursued Johnson through Sequim to the intersection of Maple Street and Sequim Avenue where Johnson stopped the Subaru behind a Mazda Miata at a stop sign, was pulled out and allegedly carjacked the driver, Dane Duben, of the Miata with a shotgun.

He sped off going east onto U.S. Highway 101.

Cameron said Johnson slowed the car down at times to deter law enforcement’s pursuit by throwing items out of the vehicle.

Jefferson County Sheriff deputies set up spike strips near Discovery Bay at two locations and Johnson hit both strips but continued to travel east.

A Port Angeles police officer used a PIT maneuver, Cameron said, where an officer causes a moving car to lose control without incurring a lot of damage, just east of the Highway 101 and State Route 104 intersection.

Johnson was treated at Olympic Medical Center for a cut on his forehead and later booked into Clallam County Jail at 5:51 a.m. with no bond.

Cameron said further charges relating to the theft of the Subaru, the carjacking of the Miata while armed and a felony eluding charge also will be referred for the Clallam County Prosecutor’s review and charging decision.

Earlier this week, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office first reported Johnson went missing into the woods off Palo Alto Road near Youngquist Road on Thursday, Oct. 23.

With help from Sequim Police, Port Angeles Police and the U.S. Border Patrol, deputies searched for Johnson through early Thursday afternoon.

Cameron said the K-9 unit lost track of Johnson due to the weather conditions. They continued their search on Friday before the early morning Saturday morning chase.

Johnson was convicted of rape of a child in the third degree in 2004 and for failing to register as a sex offender, and in 1997 for failing to register for a juvenile conviction of a 1995 child molestation in the first degree charge.

He has five felony convictions to include unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree and he drove a vehile while his license was suspended.