EDMONDS — A suspected car thief was arrested Thursday after a standoff and lengthy search that spanned south Snohomish County.
The man was taken into custody just before 2:30 p.m. along 224th Street SW, according to police.
Edmonds officers first spotted the suspect about 1:30 a.m. in a stolen car parked outside a motel along Highway 99, Sgt. Shane Hawley said.
The man sped off in the car, reportedly striking a police car.
The stolen car was found abandoned a short time later on I-5 facing the wrong direction, Hawley said.
About 9 a.m., the man was seen in Mountlake Terrace asking neighbors for help hiding from the police. Someone reported finding him sleeping in a shed. When police responded, the chase was back on, winding through Edmonds and Mountlake Terrace.
At some point, the man broke into a house and stole another car, Hawley said. He later ended up back on foot.
By late morning, the man had barricaded himself inside an Edmonds house after breaking in. Four people, including two children, were home at the time. They made it out safely.
A SWAT team was called. The suspect also tried to light the house on fire, an effort thwarted by firefighters who were already on scene.
The family was unable to return home after the fire, Hawley said. The American Red Cross was called to help them find a place to stay.
The suspect was booked into the county jail. Another man believed to be associated with the suspect was arrested at the motel on warrants.
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