Did bump by police car lead to crash that killed Marysville teen?

Police investigate whether attempt to end chase had role in fatal crash

By Jackson Holtz
Herald Writer

SNOHOMISH -- When a Snohomish County sheriff's deputy was chasing a Marysville teenager near Snohomish, he radioed in that he was about to try to bump the back of the teen's car in an attempt to end the pursuit.

Police are still investigating whether the deputy connected with the teen's car or whether snow or something else can explain why Randy Privrasky's car left the road, skidded down a steep ravine and crashed into a tree.

The 18-year-old Marysville-Pilchuck High School senior died later that night.

The deputy had attempted to stop Privrasky using a pursuit immobilization technique, or PIT maneuver, an increasingly common police practice nationwide.

The teenager's March 28 death may be the first fatality associated with a PIT maneuver in Washington, and one of only a handful in the United States.

Fatalities associated with the PIT maneuver are extremely rare, experts said.

In the arsenal of tools police use to end dangerous pursuits, PITs often are last resorts before police try to flatten tires or set up roadblocks.

During a PIT maneuver, a police car pulls along side a fleeing vehicle and bumps the rear corner to get it to spin out. The force from the car now moving backwards usually causes the engine to stall.

The PIT maneuver is an effective way to stop the bad guys, said Travis Yates, a captain with the Tulsa (Okla.) Police Department who runs PoliceDriving.com.

Like any police tool, it's not without some risk to both the pursued and the police, said Yates, who is considered an expert on PIT maneuvers.

"Anytime a law enforcement action ends in a fatality, it's a tragedy on both sides," Yates said. "We have to always remember that police don't go out on the streets and intend on going on pursuits. For some reason some people decide they want to flee."

Some experts and people who witnessed Privrasky's crash and its aftermath question the deputy's decision. They wonder if the narrow, two-lane road with steep embankments on either side, lined with trees was the best place for a deputy to even consider the PIT move.

"Regardless of what the guy did -- I don't know why he was running from the cops -- I don't think death should be his punishment," said Aaron Nakao, 24, of Machias, who saw the crash.

Just after 8 p.m., a Snohomish County sheriff's deputy spotted Privrasky allegedly speeding on Westwick Road.

As Privrasky turned north onto 171st Avenue SE, the deputy turned on his siren and flashing emergency lights, but Privrasky didn't stop, according to a search warrant filed in Evergreen District Court.

Police don't know why the teenager failed to pull over.

Privrasky was driving with an expired learner's permit, had owned the 1991 Dodge Spirit for about a week, and likely didn't have liability insurance, according to the court documents. When police searched the wreckage of the teen's car, they found beer and wine bottles, the documents said.

It is not yet known whether the attempted PIT caused Privrasky's car to leave the road, Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz said. Investigators are waiting for toxicology results, he said.

Investigators have removed parts of the deputy's patrol car, including the push bar, to inspect them for evidence. Investigations into such fatalities can take months. The investigation is being led by the Snohomish County Multi-Agency Response Team, a group of detectives from several police agencies.

Detectives have interviewed the sheriff's deputy who initiated the chase. The 25-year veteran remains on leave, which is standard procedure, Goetz said.

About two minutes and two miles after the pursuit began, the deputy told dispatchers he was going to initiate a PIT to stop the teenager, Goetz said.

"An attempt to PIT and a PIT are two very different things," Yates, the PIT expert, said.

The maneuver was first developed in West Virginia in the '70s. Over the years it's been adopted by more and more law enforcement agencies around the country.

PITs have been used in Washington since 1998, said Cpl. Don Varkevisser, the lead driving instructor for the Washington State Patrol police academy.

The patrol is involved in about 360 pursuits each year and the PIT is used to end about 1 percent of the chases, he said. None has resulted in a fatality, though there have been some injuries.

Lynnwood police added the PIT maneuver to their arsenal two years ago, and it's been used a handful of times.

"Police pursuits are inherently dangerous," Lynnwood Police Chief Steve Jensen said. "If you can just conclude these things quickly, it's really best for all concerned."

Officers go through extensive classroom and field training before they're given permission to attempt a PIT during a pursuit.

"It's actually a precision technique," Yates said. "The most difficult thing is the decision to do it."

The PIT generally is most effective between 25 and 45 mph, said Ron Kelley, a retired police driving instructor from the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, near Orlando, Fla.

Anything slower and the car being bumped doesn't have enough force to stall out when spun around, he said. At higher speeds the results are unpredictable.

Police haven't said how fast Privrasky was driving when the deputy attempted the PIT.

Nakao said he was driving behind the chase, which was moving fast.

"It's not every day you see a police chase like that," Nakao said.

He said he saw Privrasky's car leave the road and couldn't tell whether the deputy made contact with the car.

As police reconstruct the crash, they'll likely weigh everything the deputy had to take into consideration that night before attempting the PIT, Kelley said.

While the retired deputy is careful not to second-guess the deputy's decision, questions remain unanswered.

While the pursuit started because Privrasky was speeding, it became a felony when he did not pull over for the officer and tried to flee. Sheriff's deputies are allowed to chase vehicles only when a felony has been committed.

Kelley wondered whether Privasky's initial speeding warranted the risk of using the PIT, or could there have been another option? "Could he have been identified and arrested a later time at a later place?" he asked.



Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com