Dumb Subaru Driver Tries to Hide from 3 Washington State Troopers

A simple traffic stop quickly turned into a wild police chase across multiple stretches of I-5 after a dumb driver tried to hide from Troopers.

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On Tuesday (September 23), a Washington State Patrol Trooper tried to pull over a blue Subaru sedan for an HOV violation and expired tabs. These are minor infractions that normally end with a simple ticket. Instead, the driver decided to take off and run.

Washington State Patrol Catch 3x Fleeing Driver

Trooper dash cam footage shows the Subaru racing down the HOV lane, weaving recklessly while the Trooper followed at a safe distance. Speeds were climbing and the suspect’s driving was becoming too dangerous, so the Trooper called off the first chase. Yes, I said FIRST chase, because there is so much more.

That wasn’t the end of the story, not even close. Just down the road, another Trooper tried to pull the same Subaru over, and once again, the driver hit the gas. The video shows the car hugging the HOV lane and even pulling a deadly and scary move near an overpass.

Not Just Once, Not Twice, But Three Times Troopers Tried to Stop the Subaru

The driver is squeezing between another vehicle and a cement barrier with maybe inches to spare. That move could have easily caused a deadly crash, but instead, the driver sped off again. Just like before, Troopers backed off to avoid escalating the danger.

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Eventually, another Trooper spotted the Subaru waiting at a red light near the I-5 off-ramp by 54th. The suspect realized he’d been made and bolted again, but this time pulling onto the shoulder, running the red light, and darting across busy traffic. The good news is that by this point, Troopers had a clear look at his face and had confirmed it was the registered owner who was driving.

Troopers Tracked the Man to His Workplace, Arrested Him Without Incident

The driver was identified as 35-year-old Michael Winer of DuPont, Washington. Instead of chasing him endlessly, the Troopers did their homework and identified the registered owner to track him down safely.

The very next day, they found Winer at his workplace and arrested him without incident. He now faces three counts of Eluding.