Port Angeles man arrested after chase in town reaches 80 mph

Christopher White was wanted on state Department of Corrections warrant

PORT ANGELES — A Port Angeles man was arrested at gunpoint Tuesday after leading officers on a 80-mph pursuit on the city’s east side, police said.

Christopher White, who was wanted on a state Department of Corrections warrant, fled from the Safeway store just east of the city in a gold pickup truck at about 3:45 p.m., Port Angeles Deputy Chief of Police Jason Viada said.

White reached speeds of about 80 mph and reportedly collided with three vehicles as he drove west on U.S. Highway 101 and East Front Street to the Liberty Apartments with officers in pursuit, Viada said.

“The pursuit ended at the Liberty Apartments when the suspect stopped his truck and tried to run into an apartment,” Viada said.

“He was apprehended on the back porch of the apartment.”

White was booked for investigation of felony eluding a pursuing police vehicle, multiple counts of hit-and-run and possible drug charges, Viada said.

A female who was in the truck with White also was detained.

“Our investigation is ongoing,” Viada said.

Police had information that White was possibly armed and dangerous when he was spotted by the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team, Viada said.

Marked city police and Clallam County Sheriff’s Office units pursued White about 1.5 miles to the apartments on the 1200 block of East Front Street.

“There were possibly three collisions during the pursuit,” Viada said. “We got our officers right back to the locations of those possible collisions, but they were not able to contact anyone.”

Anyone who believes their vehicle was struck by the gold pickup White was driving is asked to phone Port Angeles police at 360-452-4545.

“We would sure like to hear from them,” Viada said. “We obviously consider them a crime victim.”

White is expected to make an initial appearance in Clallam County Superior Court on Wednesday.

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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.