Everett, Wash.
Published: Saturday, April 5, 2008

Deputy tried to bump teen's car before fatal crash

Investigators unsure whether maneuver led to Marysville teen's death

By Jackson Holtz, Herald Writer

 MARYSVILLE -- A Snohomish County sheriff's deputy tried to bump an 18-year-old Marysville-Pilchuck High School senior's car to end a March 28 pursuit.

It is not yet known whether that caused Randy Privrasky's car to leave the road and smash into a tree, police said Friday. The teen died in the wreck.

Privrasky apparently was speeding along Westwick Road near Snohomish when a deputy tried to pull him over, said Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz. The teen did not stop.

Less than two miles and two minutes later, the deputy initiated a Pursuit Immobilization Technique, or PIT maneuver, Goetz said. That's where a police car pushes a fleeing vehicle in an attempt to get it to spin out and stall.

It's not clear if the technique triggered the fatal crash, Goetz said.

Investigators are waiting for toxicology results to determine if Privrasky might have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash, Goetz said.

Personal belongings and items from the car, including jumper cables, were found near the crash. So were bottles that detectives believe came from the teenager's car, Goetz said.

Collision detectives plan to return to the crash site to collect additional evidence to try to precisely determine how fast the cars were going. They'll also try to determine if the PIT maneuver caused Privrasky's car to leave the road, he said.

On the night of the crash, rescue crews took Privrasky to Providence Everett Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The Snohomish County Medical Examiner ruled the death an accident.

The pursuit happened after dark, on a wet two-lane rural road, Goetz said.

"Snow was beginning to fall," he said.

The crash investigation is being led by the Snohomish Multi-Agency Response Team, a group of detectives from several police agencies.

Detectives have interviewed the sheriff's deputy who initiated the chase, a 25-year veteran, who remains on leave, Goetz said.

The sheriff's office pursuit policy places restrictions on when a PIT maneuver is allowed.

The maneuver can only be carried out "to apprehend felony offenders whose actions indicate a disregard for the safety of the deputy and public." Trying to drive away from a deputy is a felony, and can be considered a reason to use the maneuver, the policy says.

The deputy must obtain a supervisor's permission to use the PIT maneuver if speeds top 40 mph.

The maneuver should be used after less intrusive methods are attempted or when circumstance demand an immediate end to the chase, according to sheriff's office policy.

Goetz said he didn't know if the deputy chasing Privrasky consulted a supervisor before attempting the PIT maneuver.

Around 400 people die in the U.S. each year in police pursuits, according to PursuitWatch.org. Many of the deaths are crime related. Police chases are controversial and much debate exists in the law enforcement community about their effectiveness, according to experts.

Privrasky was a senior in the School for the Entrepreneur, a small learning community at Marysville-Pilchuck High School.

After graduation, he planned to open a skate park and sell a T-shirt he had designed, his friends said.

To honor their friend and help pay funeral costs, some Marysville-Pilchuck students plan to make T-shirts with Privrasky's artwork. He had a flair for writing friends' names in a style that resembled spray-painted graffiti.

Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA