Community Police & Fire
Gig Harbor Police Blotter: Officer Tases suspect following assault
Police arrested a 26-year-old Gig Harbor man on suspicion of assault, resisting arrest and for an outstanding warrant following an incident on Saturday, July 1, on Hunt Street.
The suspect, who officers wrote suffers from mental illness, fought with a man walking his dog along the road. He also threatened to assault a woman, who was also walking her dog.
The Gig Harbor officer told the man to stop and positioned himself between the suspect and the woman. The 26-year-old balled up his fists and ran toward the officer, who Tased him. He shook off the Tasing and ran away, but officer caught up to him.
The man threatened to “take you out” when the officer booked him into jail. The officer also noted that the same man threw coffee at his patrol car earlier in the same week.
Just 10 fireworks complaints in city
The Gig Harbor Police Department reported fielding 10 fireworks complaints between June 28 and July 5. Chief Kelly Busey expected many more, given that this year is the first in which the sale and use of personal fireworks was banned inside city limits.
An officer operating the city’s police boat on the evening of July 4 fielded several inquiries from boaters and residents on the city side of the bay about fireworks on the county side, Busey wrote in a city newsletter. The officer explained the jurisdictional differences to them.
Off-duty sergeant notices potential car thief
An off-duty Gig Harbor Police sergeant helped apprehend a man driving one stolen vehicle and apparently looking to steal another.
The sergeant noticed the man acting suspiciously in the Costco parking lot around 10:30 a.m. July 3. The 33-year-old transient subject was “loitering” in the parking lot, according to a Gig Harbor Police report, and the sergeant suspected he was looking for a car to steal. He was in a white Honda with a smashed windshield, which a records check confirmed had been reported stolen in Milton.
The suspect exited the vehicle and walked away before officers were able to confirm the car had been reported stolen. Officer caught up to him about an hour later.
Police forwarded a report of the incident to prosecutors for review. The suspect asked officers to drive him to Tacoma, and they complied.
Man fumbles knife, punches driver during road rage incident
A delivery driver told police another man punched him in the face and threatened him with a knife following a road rage incident on Hunt Street.
The delivery driver told police that a gray GMC truck with a canopy nearly hit him while turning from Hunt Street onto Wollochet Drive. The driver slammed on the brakes and jumped out to confront the delivery driver.
The pickup driver produced what the delivery driver described as a butterfly knife, but while flashing it he hit his own leg and dropped it. The other man ran up to the delivery driver and punched him through his rolled-down window.
The delivery backed his car away and the truck driver picked up his knife and threatened to “kill you”.’
The pickup had out-of-state plates, but the delivery driver did not get the plate number. Officers searched the area but could not locate the pickup.
Passser-by helps man get back to group home
A 62-year-old resident of a group home on Soundview Drive was missing for about 5 hours on the morning of July 3, but found his way back home thanks in part to a Gig Harbor Police social media post.
Owners of the group home contacted police when the man didn’t return from a walk after about an hour and a half on the morning of July 3. The owner of the group home said police and firefighters fascinated the resident. He might go to either the police department or a fire station.
The 62-year-old returned to the home with the help of a passerby, who saw GHPD’s social media post about the missing man and noticed him walking down the street. The good Samaritan helped him get back to his group home.