QUILCENE — Reports of a convicted felon armed with a gun turned into a large manhunt spread across this small community Saturday afternoon.
More than a dozen police officers from as far away as Port Angeles converged on the area to find the unidentified man, who ultimately eluded his pursuers.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ben Stamper, who came on duty after the ordeal, said he couldn’t release the man’s name.
Stamper said he was unsure if the man actually committed a crime and was to be arrested.
Police must have evidence, called probable cause, before they are allowed to arrest someone.
In this case, the man could just be wanted for questioning, Stamper said.
The case is still under investigation, he said.
After two reports from citizens stating that the man was walking around armed, a deputy responded to the area and saw him flee into the woods carrying what looked like a gun, officers on scene reported.
Officers responded to an address off Linger Longer Road in Quilcene en masse around 12:30 p.m. to search for the man, who was described as highly agitated and possibly armed.
Responding to the scene were five Jefferson County sheriff’s units, four Clallam County sheriff’s deputies, two Port Townsend officers, two State Patrol troopers, one fisheries officer, a Forest Service officer and a police dog unit from Port Angeles.
Point No Point Treaty Council Fisheries Officer Doug Lux said he encountered the man near Logger’s Landing at milepost 295 on U.S. Highway 101.
For a brief moment the man stopped for Lux, but fled again into a wooded area across the highway.
Within minutes, officers had a perimeter around the wooded area, which included Quilcene Campground and Olympic National Forest ranger station.
Armed with pistols, shotguns and AR-15 assault rifles, the officers guarded the perimeter waiting for the K-9 unit from Port Angeles.
Traffic on Highway 101 was stopped in Quilcene for about 45 minutes until the dog arrived.