PORT ANGELES – A 39-year-old Port Angeles man was arrested after a reported attempted arson, racial slurs and a chase near the Coast Guard Base in Port Angeles.
At about 2:30 Wednesday morning Port Angeles officers responded to a report of a man setting fire to the sign by the main gate of the Coast Guard base on Ediz Hook.
Another caller complained that the same suspect was making racist statements about targeting and killing people based on their race. Police were also told the man used his vehicle to nearly ram another vehicle occupied by a black person.
While officers were on their way PenCom confirmed that the known suspect was wanted for an unrelated felony warrant for failure to surrender firearms.
When officers arrived they found the suspect holding what appeared to be a bottle of vodka and attempted to stop the suspect who fled in his vehicle westbound on Ediz Hook.
As one officer to signal the suspect to stop, another used a spike strip to slow the fleeing vehicle, which finally stopped on Marine Drive. The suspect tried to run but was stopped with a Taser.
39-year-old Samuel Ketchum is being held on $5,000 bail on a felony bench warrant, Eluding Police and Resisting Arrest.
During the follow up investigation police found what appear to be two improvised explosive devices in large glass bottles in the cab of the vehicle along with another container of liquid accelerant.
The investigation into potential additional charges in ongoing.