A dangerous police chase on I-90 in Washington state ended with officers tackling a suspect trying to ignite a homemade bomb.

Explosive Pursuit: Suspect Tackled While Trying to Detonate Bomb on Washington Interstate

A dangerous police chase on I-90 in Washington state ended with officers tackling a suspect trying to ignite a homemade bomb. 🌐 #News #BellevueWA #Washington #Crime

BELLEVUE, WA – An ordinary morning call turned into a dangerous pursuit when a suspect attempted to ignite an improvised explosive device (IED) on a Washington interstate last weekend. Officers acted quickly, tackling the man before he could cause any harm.

Suspicious Car Leads to Chase

On Saturday, October 12, around 10:36 a.m., Bellevue police responded to a report of a black Mercedes sedan idling in a parking lot. Both the driver and passenger were asleep inside the car. When officers arrived, they found drugs on both men, raising concerns about possible driving under the influence.

The situation escalated when the driver abruptly fled, initiating a pursuit. Police soon discovered the Mercedes had been reported stolen.

Low-Speed Chase Ends on I-90

Officers deployed spike strips in an effort to stop the vehicle. Although the tires were punctured, the suspect continued driving at a slow pace of about 5 mph. The chase stretched onto Interstate 90 West, where Washington State Patrol joined the pursuit.

The vehicle finally came to a stop after authorities performed a slow-speed PIT maneuver at 3 mph. Meanwhile, the passenger attempted to flee but was quickly apprehended.

Foot Chase and Attempt to Detonate Explosive

The driver, later identified as 42-year-old Sokphana Soeung, took off on foot with officers in pursuit. As they closed in, police noticed he was carrying a blowtorch and an IED.

Body-worn camera footage, released by the Bellevue Police Department, shows the suspect trying to light the device before officers tackled him to the ground. The swift response prevented a potentially deadly situation.

Bomb Squad and Arrests

Given the discovery of explosives, several agencies were called to the scene, including the FBI, the ATF, and bomb squads from Bellevue Police, Washington State Patrol, and King County.

Upon further investigation, officers located two additional IEDs inside the stolen vehicle.

Soeung was arrested and faces several charges, including possession of an explosive device, multiple counts of first-degree assault, driving under the influence, possession of a stolen vehicle, and fleeing law enforcement.

The passenger was also taken into custody on outstanding felony warrants.

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Quick Response Prevents Tragedy

Thanks to the quick actions of officers and collaboration among law enforcement agencies, a potential disaster was averted. Body-worn cameras captured the critical moments that led to the suspect’s arrest, underscoring the challenges officers face in unpredictable situations.

Soeung now faces a range of serious charges as the investigation continues. Authorities credited the multi-agency effort for preventing harm and securing the scene safely.

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