Police commander recovers his briefcase after chase and crash

Police commander recovers his briefcase after chase and crash

Tuesday, January 30, 2001

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LACEY -- A high-speed chase ended in a crash and the arrest of a young man after the theft of a briefcase that a senior police officer had left in his unlocked car when he went to get coffee.

Ricky Rengel Jr., 20, sought on an outstanding arrest warrant, also tried to bolt naked from a hospital after slipping out of his shackles during an examination but was quickly recaptured, Cmdr. Ed Sorger said.

Jamie Murphy, 22, a passenger in Rengel's car, also was being held for investigation.

Sorger said he forgot to lock the unmarked personal car during his regular coffee stop shortly before 7 a.m. Monday at Evergreen Valley Grocery.

"It doesn't matter if you're there two minutes or 10 or 15 minutes," said an embarrassed Sorger, the third-ranking officer in this town east of Olympia. "You should always lock your car."

Only after he got to work did Sorger realize that the briefcase, which contained a cell phone, credit cards, police badge and patrol radio, was missing.

Mentally retracing his steps, he recalled that while he was at the store, "I saw a kid in there that didn't fit," Sorger said. "After discovering the theft, I was able to recognize who it could have been."

At about 10:30 a.m., a Thurston County sheriff's deputy spotted a car matching the description of the man's car not far from the grocery.

Police Sgt. Scott Eastman joined the pursuit, which reached speeds as high as 90 mph. After two miles in which the driver dodged two sets of tire-puncturing spike strips, the fleeing car slammed into a tree.

"Both (suspects) lost consciousness temporarily, but none has serious injuries," Eastman said.

Sorger said credit cards belonging to other people as well as some of his own personal items were found along the chase route. By Monday afternoon, all that was missing were his pepper spray, police radio and badge.

Rengel and Murphy were jailed after being treated for minor injuries at Providence St. Peter Hospital, where Rengel tried to run away but was tackled by a sheriff's deputy, authorities said.

Rengel, previously sought on a charge of fleeing after being arrested for investigation of possession of stolen property, was booked on counts of eluding police and attempted escape. His female companion was held for investigation of second-degree possession of stolen property.

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