The suspect who was shot and injured by Thurston County deputies and Washington State Patrol troopers on Interstate 5 on Jan. 13 was released from the hospital this week and booked into the Thurston County Jail on suspicion of multiple charges including assault and child molestation.
Victor H. Ortiz-Bucio, 25, is being held in the Thurston County Jail on $250,000 bail.
According to court documents, Ortiz-Bucio was under investigation by the Lacey Police Department on suspicion of rape of a child, for allegedly having sex multiple times with a girl in her early teens.
On Jan. 13, a Thurston County deputy saw a Silverado pickup truck being driven erratically at nearly 70 miles per hour on Yelm Highway Southwest near the Boulevard Road intersection.
The deputy attempted to pull the truck over, but a chase ensued. At one point during the high-speed chase, the truck passed through a red light. The chase led southbound I-5, at speeds of 90 mph.
About 14 minutes later, the truck pulled over near exit 88. By that point, multiple Thurston County deputies and WSP troopers were in pursuit. The driver, who deputies say was Ortiz-Bucio, got out of the truck holding a handgun. Ortiz-Bucio allegedly took a shooting stance, with the gun pointing at law enforcement. Five Thurston County deputies and one WSP trooper opened fire. In accordance with the protocol, all law enforcement who fired were placed on administrative leave while the shooting is under investigation.
Ortiz-Bucio was struck by bullets and later transported to an area hospital for treatment. According to court documents, Ortiz-Bucio told investigators he intentionally started the chase with law enforcement. He said he wanted to be shot and killed because he knew he was under investigation for sex crimes, and would rather die than go to prison.
He was released from the hospital and booked into jail on Monday. A Thurston County Superior Court judge found probable cause to charge Ortiz-Bucio with three counts of third-degree rape of a child, one count of second-degree child molestation, four counts of second-degree assault and one count of attempting to elude a police vehicle.
Thurston County Sheriff K-9 Arlo was also shot during the confrontation. Personnel from the Mason County Sheriff’s Office are leading an investigation into the shooting, with assistance from other area jurisdictions. In a press release distributed Wednesday, Mason County investigators said they believe Arlo was struck by friendly fire. Arlo was taken to Oregon State University for surgery and has since been released. He’s recovering at home.
While Ortiz-Bucio’s case is being prosecuted by the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office, the involved officers’ conduct is the focus of Mason County’s investigation. The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office is part of the Region 3 Critical Incident Investigation Team, which investigates officer-involved shootings and other use-of-force incidents. The team consists of the Thurston, Mason, Lewis and Pacific County sheriffs’ offices and WSP. However, Thurston County and WSP investigators aren’t involved in the investigation, in order to keep it independent.
There is currently no timeline for how long the investigation will take. Investigators are speaking with the deputies and troopers involved and have recovered dashcam footage of the shooting from a WSP patrol vehicle.
When the investigation is complete, the findings will be sent to the Mason County Prosecutor’s Office. Prosecutors will look over the findings and determine whether the officers involved were justified in opening fire.
For those struggling with suicidal thoughts, please call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
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