Man fleeing cops hit and killed dashing across highway, Washington police say
An attempted murder suspect was hit and killed by freeway traffic while trying to escape from Washington police on foot.
The March 25 pursuit began around 6 p.m., according to the Longview Police Department.
Officers responded to a call about a fight in a residential area on the south side of town, with witnesses saying baseball bats and knives were in use, the department said in a Facebook post.
As officers arrived, a vehicle speeding away from the scene sideswiped a police car, kicking off a short chase, the post said. But the driver, behind the wheel of a Dodge Caliber, was able to get away.
At the scene, officers spoke with multiple witnesses, including a 25-year-old man who said the escaped suspect had tried “repeatedly” to stab him, while “threatening to kill him,” the LPD post said. The victim added “the attack was unprovoked and the attacker was unknown to him.”
“At this time, officers had developed probable cause for attempted murder and a multitude of other serious crimes,” LPD said.
About two hours later, at 8:30 p.m., the suspect’s Dodge Caliber was spotted. Officers responded and another chase began.
The suspect led police southbound on Interstate 5, charging down the roadway at over 100 mph, according to LPD.
As the high-speed chase continued, law enforcement from other county agencies joined in.
Police put spike strips in place “near the exit to the ilani casino,” officials told TV station KOIN.
The casino is about 22 miles south of Longview.
The suspect, later identified as 55-year-old Longview resident Robert Flubacher, stopped his car, got out and began to run on foot, the outlet reported.
As he ran across the freeway, an “uninvolved motorist” driving northbound struck and killed him, the LPD said.
The force of the impact totaled the motorist’s vehicle, police told news outlets.
The Longview Police Department is investigating the incident, the department said.
Longview is about 66 miles south of Olympia.
This story was originally published March 27, 2022 at 5:13 PM with the headline "Man fleeing cops hit and killed dashing across highway, Washington police say."