Washington State Patrol troopers used a precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuver to stop a woman accused of driving 138 mph on Interstate 5 through Lewis County on April 4.
Kate R. Stone, 47, of Tacoma, was apprehended in Cowlitz County. She made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday after her Saturday booking.
During the hearing, a judge set bail at $100,000 cash or bond and ordered a competency evaluation after a request from Stone’s defense attorney.
The evaluation will be conducted by the state Department of Social and Health Services. The judge scheduled a competency review hearing for April 16.
Stone faces felony counts of attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle, second-degree assault with a deadly weapon — in this case, her SUV — and first-degree malicious mischief.
Both the assault and malicious mischief charges are punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The eluding charge carries a special allegation that Stone endangered one or more persons other than herself and the pursuing officers. If she’s convicted, an additional twelve months and one day will be added to the standard sentence range, according to court documents.
Standard sentence ranges are calculated based on the defendant’s criminal history and the severity of the crime.
Stone is also charged with reckless driving, a gross misdemeanor.
According to a probable cause affidavit, troopers began pursuing Stone southbound on I-5 near milepost 71 after getting reports of a Mazda SUV driving erratically on the interstate’s shoulder.
“Multiple callers reported Stone passed them on the right and kicked up rocks, causing a crack in their windshield,” the affidavit said.
The pursuing trooper likewise saw Stone “driving on both shoulders and swerving through traffic without signaling,” according to the affidavit.
At one point, the trooper clocked the chase at 138 mph.
After crossing into Cowlitz County, Stone reportedly took Exit 48, where another trooper disabled her SUV by performing a PIT maneuver.
Stone allegedly tried to escape, however, and drove into the initial pursuing trooper’s vehicle, before law enforcement ultimately stopped her SUV.
After being given a Miranda warning, Stone allegedly “made several confusing statements about why she was driving how she was,” according to the affidavit.
