2 dead after trailer theft leads to shooting and accident in Bonney Lake

BONNEY LAKE, Washington — Two people are dead when a trailer theft led to a shooting and crash in Bonney Lake early Sunday morning.

Pierce County officials responded to reports of shots fired and a crash on Rhodes Lake Road East and Falling Water Boulevard East at 6:52 a.m. The crash involved a white pickup truck towing a trailer and a gold-colored flatbed truck.

Detectives are still investigating, but they believe the suspects in the white pickup truck stole the trailer from the people in the gold truck. The people in the gold truck from Prairie Ridge attempted to retrieve the trailer.

Officials believe that gunfire may have been exchanged between the two vehicles during the chase and at the final accident scene.

“We believe the white truck stole the trailer that was attached to it and that the gold truck chased them to get the trailer back. Eventually they started shooting at each other and ramming each other. Both sides of the vehicles have extensive damage from the collisions, so it was a game of bumper cars on the road,” said Sergeant Darren Moss, PIO of the Pierce County Sheriff's Department.

According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, there were three people – two men and a woman – in the white pickup truck and two men in the gold truck.

Officers arrived at the scene with police from Sumner, Orting and Bonney Lake. They saw a critically injured man with multiple gunshot wounds in the back seat of the white truck and a dead man on the ground next to the truck.

The seriously injured man was taken to hospital but died shortly after arrival, officials said. Another man, who is in police custody, was taken to hospital with injuries. His condition is unknown.

The driver of the gold truck was found dead with gunshot wounds.

“It's shocking because where we live is a quieter area and we're kind of off the beaten track, so it's definitely shocking to see something like this so close to home,” said Luke Taylor, who lives nearby.

Deputies also received reports that two people, a man and a woman, fled the scene.

The woman who fled the vehicles was called by neighbors after she was seen running along several yards. Bonney Lake and Sumner police found the woman on a trail behind Victor Falls Elementary School. Police said she is not considered a suspect.

One person is still missing and officials believe he is the driver of the white truck.

The case is still under investigation, but anyone with information about the case or who sees a suspicious person in the area is asked to call the Sheriff's Office. Alternatively, an anonymous tip can be submitted via the Crime Stoppers app, website or Sheriff's app.