A Tacoma man accused of driving erratically and fleeing from a Washington State Patrol trooper on Interstate 5 in Lewis County on Friday is facing felony DUI and attempt to elude charges in Lewis County Superior Court.
Erik Kristopher-Martin Grote, 41, is accused of driving a white Chrysler “erratically” on southbound I-5 before exiting at Exit 77, getting onto the northbound lanes and continuing to drive erratically sometime before 9:16 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14. A trooper who followed Grote’s vehicle on northbound I-5 noted that it drove onto the white fog line for about 20 feet before getting back into its lane, drifted into and out of the center lane, and attempted at least one abrupt lane change, according to court documents.
When the trooper activated his patrol vehicle’s lights and sirens to initiate a traffic stop, the Chrysler reportedly “moved to the right lane as if it was going to pull over, but continued to drive,” according to court documents.
Grote allegedly ignored the trooper’s signals to pull over and continued to drive erratically at speeds between 36 and 92 mph. The trooper “was getting into position to conduct a PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle when the driver moved to the right shoulder and eventually stopped,” according to court documents.
After the Chrysler stopped, Grote reportedly had significant difficulty understanding and following troopers’ instructions and “had to be instructed multiple times how to move so the officers could place him into custody,” according to court documents. He reportedly “appeared to be confused and moving slowly” and made “numerous unrecognizable statements, and they all sounded slurred and slow,” according to court documents.
He also allegedly “made a statement about wanting to fight a trooper,” “said he was going to fight and would not let anyone take his blood,” and “said that he did not have any blood in his body,” according to court documents.
A warrant for a blood draw was executed at Providence Centralia Hospital before Grote was booked into the Lewis County Jail at 9:16 p.m. on Feb. 14.
On the way to the jail, Grote allegedly “took off his seat belt and began kicking the door of the patrol car until they reached the jail,” according to court documents.
Bail is set at $25,000 and arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 27.
