Staff Reports
An 18-year-old adult decided to take a Dodge Charger belonging to a family member without permission, then proceeded to terrorize our streets in the pre-dawn hours before crashing the car on its side. Deputies say the wild joyride ended when the Charger flipped after a pursuit that thankfully left no one else injured.
According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, deputies first spotted the Charger traveling at over 80 mph in a 35-mph zone on Pacific Avenue South around 2:30 a.m. on January 9, 2026, and the vehicle ran red lights and weaved through traffic during a nearly six-mile chase from Spanaway to Tacoma. That kind of selfish, dangerous driving puts every hardworking family on the road at risk and shows a shocking disrespect for human life and the rule of law.
Law enforcement did what was necessary to protect the public, releasing dashcam footage that makes the recklessness painfully clear and documenting the decision to pursue as a difficult but vital call. Deputies noted signs of impairment and say the suspect smelled of alcohol; he was booked on charges including eluding, taking a motor vehicle without permission, reckless driving, and DUI. Those are appropriate charges, and prosecutors should pursue them fully so consequences actually mean something.
This incident is not just a single teenager’s bad night — it’s a snapshot of a culture that too often excuses foolish, even criminal behavior from young people while asking victims to accept the fallout. Parents and families have to stop enabling entitlement, and communities must stop bending to every plea for leniency that leaves public safety on the chopping block. If we want fewer pursuits and fewer crashes, we need to demand personal responsibility, not sympathy for dangerous choices.
To the lawmakers and judges who constantly push softer penalties: take notice. Allowing an 18-year-old to treat a family member’s car like a toy and then shrug when something bad almost happens sends the wrong message; we should be installing real deterrents — accountability, restitution, and measures like ignition interlocks where appropriate — so citizens can drive without fear.
Americans should thank the deputies who released the footage and acted to keep our streets safe, and they should urge local prosecutors to hold the offender fully accountable. We must defend law and order, insist on consequences, and teach the next generation that freedom comes with responsibility — or else scenes like this will keep repeating until someone gets killed.
