A man led law enforcement on a high-speed chase exceeding 100 miles per hour earlier this month, and now faces multiple counts of assault after allegedly attempting to hit police and sheriff’s deputies, according to court records.
Anthony Hill, 34, had a remote first appearance in Clark County Superior Court June 22. Hill’s bail was set at $75,000 in connection to charges stemming from a chase that began at ilani June 19.
A statement from a Cowlitz Tribe responding officer read that shortly before 7 p.m. that officer was contacted by ilani security that two individuals — later identified as Hill and a passenger — were passed out in the parking lot of ilani “with drugs and needles involved.”
The Cowlitz officer saw a white Honda Accord backing out of the lot number, yelling for the driver to stop the vehicle, the affidavit stated. The Accord hit a Toyota Sienna, and the Cowlitz officer opened the driver-side door of the Accord, though based on how Hill was maneuvering the vehicle the officer felt he would be dragged under the car, causing him to shut the door.
The Accord left the officer’s location “at a high rate of speed,” the affidavit stated, heading toward Interstate 5, according to the affidavit.
About a half-hour later a Clark County sheriff’s deputy assisted in the vehicle pursuit, the affidavit stated. The deputy heard the pursuit reached speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour southbound on Interstate 5, after which Hill exited onto Northeast 219th Street before heading south on Northeast 10th Avenue, then east onto Northeast 209th Street.
Hill nearly hit a Ridgefield Police Department officer while on 209th, the affidavit stated, after which he turned south on Northeast 29th Avenue. The officer almost hit in that instance stated they made eye contact with Hill, and “it was evident he was attempting to hit (his) patrol vehicle.”
The vehicle also nearly hit a Cowlitz Tribe officer around that time, according to another statement in the affidavit.
Hill then turned east on Northeast 179th Street, missing two deployed spike strips before turning north onto Northeast 112th Avenue. Hill then turned east onto Southeast Eaton Boulevard, allegedly attempting to hit a Battle Ground Police officer head-on, the affidavit stated. Hill disregarded traffic controls, going at speeds around 100 miles per hour and causing “multiple collisions” during the chase.
The responding sheriff’s deputy initiated a pursuit intervention technique (PIT) around the intersection of Northeast 99th Street and Northeast 172nd Avenue, according to the affidavit, pinning Hill’s vehicle between two deputy’s vehicles.
Another deputy’s statement included in the affidavit described that Hill’s passenger “was so fearful about the events that transpired it took her multiple deep breaths between questions.”
The passenger’s account in the affidavit stated that she and Hill had been at ilani for about 30 minutes when she wanted to leave, adding that when Hill eventually left the casino after her he was angry about losing money. Hill allegedly loaded a syringe with heroin and injected it, with the passenger later noticing police were around the vehicle, after which Hill nearly hit an officer in escaping.
The passenger told Hill to let her out of the vehicle 10 times, according to the affidavit, at one point considering jumping out of the vehicle but ultimately deciding against it due to the danger.
When speaking to law enforcement Hill admitted to using drugs, denying he saw law enforcement pursuing him on I-5 and saying he intended to avoid the vehicles he allegedly tried to hit, according to the affidavit. As to why he continued to drive when being pursued, Hill said “I was scared,” acknowledging an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
Hill faces five counts of first-degree assault, one count of attempting to elude, a count of first-degree kidnapping, a count of hit-and-run on an unattended vehicle, a count of reckless endangerment and a community custody violation, according to Clark County Jail records. He is scheduled for an arraignment hearing July 7.
