Man charged after ramming patrol car, fleeing from police last weekend

A Vashon man was charged with four crimes on Wednesday after what court documents call an “utterly bizarre rampage” last weekend, when he allegedly rammed a patrol car and another car with his truck, was shot at by police and broke into a home to hide out.

A Vashon man was charged with four crimes on Wednesday after what court documents call an “utterly bizarre rampage” last weekend, when he allegedly rammed a patrol car and another car with his truck, was shot at by police and broke into a home to hide out.

Jesse James Mish, 24, was charged in King County Superior Court with felony harassment, second and third degree assault and residential burglary.

The deputy-involved shooting will also be investigated, and the deputy who fired the shots, Richard Ehlers, has been placed on administrative leave per King County policy. There were no serious injuries.

According to charging papers, the incident began at about 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, when Mish drove his truck at high speed into the boat launch at Dockton Park and yelled at a King County Parks employee concerning his boat and trailer parked illegally at the boat launch. The parks employee alerted police.

A couple hours later, Mish reportedly yelled at and threatened to kill islander Michael Vayo at Vayo’s apartment on 97th Place SW, just outside Vashon town. He also had an argument with his mother, who lives at another apartment on 97th Place. His mother called police around 6 p.m. to report that Mish was “out of control” and driving erratically in the parking lot. She believed he was having a nervous breakdown and said she was concerned for him and others. Another apartment resident also called police to report Mish was driving erratically, with items falling out of the back of his truck.

Mish later returned to Vayo’s apartment and attempted to steal Vayo’s car by towing it away with his truck, and he threatened to kill two other people who intervened. He then intentionally rammed Vayo’s car, a 2006 Toyota Corolla, with his truck, pushing it over a sidewalk and into the front wall of Vayo’s apartment.

Ehlers, the sheriff’s deputy, caught up with Mish at about 6:45 p.m. by the Dockton boat launch, and after he refused to pull over, there was a short pursuit.

Mish eventually pulled over on SW Windmill Road, and as Ehlers was getting out of his car, Mish rammed the patrol car with his pickup twice, knocking Ehlers off balance. Ehlers then fired several shots at Mish “in an attempt to stop his aggressive actions,” according to charging papers. Ehlers’ patrol car was not driveable, and Mish fled, hiding his truck near a garage on Dockton Road and covering it with branches.

Several sheriff’s deputies who live on Vashon, as well as some who were on duty in White Center and Burien, were called in to help search for Mish, and a helicopter aided in the search that evening until the weather turned. The sheriff’s office posted an alert about the incident on Twitter and asked the public to call 911 if Mish’s red Ford pickup was seen.

Meanwhile, Mish walked along the shore of Quartermaster Harbor for about a mile before breaking into an unoccupied waterfront home on the 24600 block of Dockton Road. He slept there for a while and stole a few small items as well as some clothing to wear.

Police located Mish at the home at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday, after he called his mother from the house’s landline and she turned the number over to police. Several sheriff’s deputies arrived, and when Mish attempted to flee, he was tackled and tasered by police. During the scuffle, Mish hit one of the deputies, Dusty Davis, in the face several times. Davis also reported that his shoulder was injured when he became pinned by Mish and other deputies trying to restrain him.

After his arrest, Mish told authorities that he was sorry and said, “I rammed that cop car because I did not want to get caught and go back to jail. I didn’t like it there the last time,” and “I should have just pulled over.”

According to charging papers, Mish has been booked into the King County Jail four times since 2012 and has had six warrants issued for his arrest. His criminal history includes misdemeanor convictions in for reckless driving — which was reduced from a DUI — in 2013 and for being in physical control of a vehicle while under the influence in 2007.

Mish most recently spent time in jail last month. According to the King County Jail website, he was booked on Dec. 24 for investigation of assault and released on Dec. 26 when he posted $10,000 bail. Dan Donohoe, a spokesman for the King County Prosecutor’s Office, said the sheriff’s office is still investigating that incident and Mish has not been charged.

Mish’s bail this time was set at $50,000, an amount the prosecuting attorney requested, calling him a “significant threat to community safety and to the safety of law enforcement if released.”

Ehlers, the deputy placed on leave after firing shots at Mish, has been with the sheriff’s office since January of 2002, according to Sgt. DB Gates, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office. He is currently assigned as a patrol deputy in the Southwest Precinct, which includes Skyway, White Center, Kent, Federal Way and Vashon.

Mish’s arraignment, where he will enter a plea, is scheduled for Jan. 21.