Snapchat Helps Catch Arsonist and Men Fight With Unusual Weapons

PUYALLUP, WA — Among the fireworks-related calls made to Puyallup police in the days following July 4 was one involving a 19-year-old who was recorded blowing up two mailboxes with a mortar. Read more on that incident and others in this Puyallup police crime log, covering select reports made between July 5 and 12.

Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia/Warrant

1100-block of North Meridian

A 38-year-old woman associated with a suspicious motorhome was arrested after police learned she had a warrant in Puyallup. Additionally, police found a "loaded syringe" on the woman.

Assault 4th DV, Malicious Mischief DV, Resisting

400-block of Fifth Street Northeast

A 35-year-old woman who was arrested for hitting her boyfriend also reportedly broke several items in the couple's apartment and threw a number of her boyfriend's things into a nearby river. The boyfriend said they'd been fighting all week.

The woman also reportedly resisted her arrest.

Legend Drug without a Prescription, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Theft, Warrant

121 E. Stewart Ave. - 7-Eleven

An officer contacted a female for her felony warrant. The officer discovered that she had shoplifted from 7-11 and she also had Zanax, methamphetamine, and heroin on her person. She was booked.

Reckless Driving

800 39th Ave. S.W.

A 77-year-old man was cited for traffic violations after passing another vehicle in the oncoming lane while speeding before cutting off the same vehicle multiple times, preventing the other driver from moving to another lane.

While speaking with an officer, the 77-year-old said he was angry at the other driver because they did not enter the intersection on a flashing yellow signal.

PSP/ Recovery (Firearm)

1100-block of Valley Avenue Northwest

Units responded to an assault, possible road rage incident. All parties were GOA (gone on arrival) and could not be located. Later, a witness went out for a walk and found a firearm that returned stolen out of Seattle. The owner was notified, and the firearm was booked into property.

Warrant Arrest

1100 N. Meridian - Johnny's Bar & Grill

A couple were contacted at behind Johnny’s. Both were found to have Puyallup warrants and were arrested.

Mal Misch DV/Expose Minor to DV

701 43rd Ave. S.E.

A female allowed her ex-boyfriend and father of her children to come to her apartment and use the shower. After his shower the two argued. The female told the male to leave and closed the door behind him as he exited. He then kicked the apartment door causing enough damage so that the door can no longer be secured and fled the area.

The male was later located in county and deputies detained him. A Puyallup PD officer responded and arrested the male booked him into our jail.

Trespassing, Making False Statements

100-block of East Stewart Avenue

A 42-year-old male was trespassing at 7-11 and lied about his name. He was booked.

Robbery (Attempted)

900-block of East Main Avenue

A 26-year-old male went into the EZ Mart and approached the clerk with food in his hand. He told the clerk that he did not have any money and then threatened the clerk with a large knife. A customer stepped in and paid for the merchandise to keep the male from harming the clerk. He was booked into county.

MVTR

1200-block of 11th Street Northwest

Sometime overnight someone stole the victim’s 2003 Chevrolet Van. The vehicle was entered as stolen.

MVTR

1100 N. Meridian

Between 11:30 a.m. and 12:20 p.m. someone stole the victim’s 2000 Ford F350. The vehicle was entered as stolen.

Trespassing 1st

700-block of West Stewart Avenue

A homeowner called to report that someone was inside his vacant rental home without his permission. Two officers located a male in the mother-in-law apartment behind the main house. The male said he had been squatting in the apartment for some time and knew he did not have the owner’s permission to live in the apartment. He was booked.

Criminal Trespass, Malicious Mischief

600-block of East Pioneer

A 53-year-old male was trespassing on the victim’s property and destroying her plants. He was booked.

UPCS, DWLS, Warrant

North Meridian and Valley Avenue Northeast

An officer stopped a male and arrested him for DWLS and a warrant. He was also in possession of 3.4 grams of methamphetamine. He was booked into county.

Obstructing/Warrant

100-block of 37th Avenue Southeast

Officers responded to the area for reports of a verbal DV with both the male and female throwing items in the parking lot. Upon contact the male fled. It was discovered that he had a reckless endangerment warrant involving a firearm.

Officers learned that he went inside the Ram and the building was surrounded. He attempted to run out the back, but he saw an officer waiting for him. He then tried to run out the front, but another officer was waiting there to take him into custody. He was booked.

DUI

2500 S. Meridian

A 66-year-old man who was arrested for drunken driving reportedly provided breath samples more than double the legal limit.

Malicious Mischief

300-block of South Meridian

A 43-year-old male was called in by several people due to his screaming obscenities while walking through Pioneer Park and down South Meridian. Two officers contacted the male who was extremely high.

Officers were advised by a victim that he broke the windshield of the victim’s car with his backpack. He was booked.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, DWLS, Warrants, Shoplifting #1918801045

600 S Meridian

Two officers were called to a suspicious vehicle in the Safeway parking lot. The 54-year-old male driver was arrested for warrants, DWLS and possession of drug paraphernalia. His girlfriend came out from Safeway after stealing food and was contacted by the second officer. Both were booked.

Vehicle Recovery

4100-block of 10th Street Southeast

An officer’s ALPR located a stolen vehicle, a 1998 silver Jeep, parked alongside the road. The vehicle was unoccupied. A phone message was left for the owner. The vehicle was impounded and removed from WACIC/NCIC.

Paraphernalia

1400-block East Main Avenue

A female and two friends entered O’Reilly Auto Parts where the female began filling a large duffel bag with merchandise. Officers arrived and detained the group prior to the theft being completed. She was found to have warrants for trespass and possession of drug paraphernalia. She gave consent to search her purse which contained numerous pieces of paraphernalia. She was booked.

OD/CPR/Narcan

1617 E. Main Ave.

A couple had been vaping liquid Percocet every few hours all day. The female woke their roommate in a panic because the male appeared to be having a bad reaction. While talking to the male, the female collapsed and stopped breathing. The male began to attempt CPR.

An officer arrived and found her three-year-old son sitting next to her. The officer took over CPR. He also administered Narcan. Because of the officer’s quick action, CPR was able to eventually resuscitate her. They were both transported to the hospital. The child was placed with a grandparent. Report to CPS.

Theft from Vehicle

200-block of 37th Avenue Southeast

Sometime over the weekend someone entered the ride share van through the unlocked slider. The suspect stole change and a Pierce Transit gas card. A flashlight was left behind that was taken as evidence.

Malicious Mischief

200-block of 37th Avenue Southeast

Sometime over the weekend someone broke out the rear window to a government army vehicle. This is related to the above vehicle prowl.

Making False Statements, Warrants

SR-512 and South Meridian

A 20-year-old male was trying door handles to vehicles. When contacted by an officer he fled by jumping shirtless into some blackberry bushes. Not the smartest choice. He was taken into custody and lied about his name to conceal warrants. He was booked.

Malicious Mischief

100-block of North Meridian

Sometime overnight someone threw a rock and damaged the victim’s side window and fender.

MVTR

100-block of North Meridian

Sometime overnight someone stole the victim’s 2001 Harley. The motorcycle was entered as stolen.

Hit and Run Attended

310 31st Ave. S.E.

An officer responded to a hit and run, and the victim was able to take a photo of the suspect vehicle as it fled. Later, the same officer observed the suspect vehicle at 43rd and S Meridian. He obtained a confession from the driver and she was cited.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

1100-block of Ninth Avenue Southwest

Police were dispatched to the area on the report of a two men fighting with a knife and possibly a gun. When officers found the them, the man said they were arguing over a girl, but that no assault took place. Both men said they had neither guns or knives and instead revealed they were threatening each other with both cutters and an ax.

One of the men eventually admitted he'd visited the other in an attempt to obtain free heroin, but then later felt like the other man was going to rob him for money the other man thought he had.

Neither man wanted to press charges, though one of them was in possession of miscellaneous drug paraphernalia and was ultimately arrested.

Vehicle Prowl

300-block of 13th Street Southeast

A victim reported that his vehicle was broken into and his laptop stolen. He had left the laptop in the car overnight. His father-in-law’s vehicle was also damaged in an attempted vehicle prowl.

Theft 3rd

310 31st Ave. S.E. - Walmart

A male completed a fraudulent return for cash. He was found to have a Puyallup warrant for theft in the third degree. He was arrested for the new theft, and the warrant, then booked.

Arson 2nd

1700-block of Fifth Avenue Southwest

An officer and CPFR responded to a grass fire in this location. They located a mailbox that had been destroyed by an explosion. Parts of the mailbox were about 80 feet away from the post.

The suspect was geo-located through SnapChat at the scene of the explosion. The officer used that information and tracked the suspect to Sumner. The officer conducted an excellent interview and the suspect confessed to blowing up the mailbox which started the fire. He was booked.

Read more on this incident: Snapchat's Snap Map Helps Trap Accused Arsonist

NVOL/Narcotics Search Warrant

1500-block of South Meridian

A male was stopped for running a red light. He was found to be NVOL without ID. Search incident to arrest located numerous small 1x1 baggies, a scale and other paraphernalia in his fanny pack. This is proof that #fannypacksareback.

There was a strong odor similar to vinegar coming from the car. The K9 Narcotics detection team responded to the scene. K9 Otto gave a positive indication for the odor of narcotics coming from the car. The car was impounded pending a search warrant. The driver was booked for NVOL and paraphernalia at this time.

Theft 3rd/Legend Drugs & Paraphernalia

3500 S. Meridian - South Hill Mall, Macy's

A couple were detained for shoplifting approximately $400.00 worth of clothing from Macy’s. While in the Loss Prevention office and handcuffed, the male dropped a small baggy of heroin and a small baggy containing two Suboxone pills, in an attempt to not have them found during a search.

Both individuals admitted to the theft stating that they steal to support their heroin habits. The female was cited and released due to jail space. The male was booked for Theft 3rd, Possession of a Legend Drug and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

ID THEFT

1617 E. Main Ave.

Victim’s personal information was fraudulently used to obtain over $2000 in fraudulent accounts.

UPCS / NVOL

3100 S. Meridian

An officer made a traffic stop on a driver, who was NVOL without ID. While at the car window, the officer spotted a baggie with suspected methamphetamine in the passenger’s open purse. The passenger was detained and gave consent to search. K9 Otto assisted in a search of the vehicle, and 19.7 grams of methamphetamine were located and seized. Both the driver and passenger were booked. Great proactive arrests!

DV Warrant Arrest

10th and East Main Avenue

An officer contacted a male on the River Walk Trail while checking for a noise/firework complaint. The male had a DV Warrant out of City Puyallup. He was booked.

Felony Warrant Arrest

1700 E. Main Ave.

An officer contacted a male for a helmet violation, he returned with a confirmed warrant for PSP. Booked at PC Jail.

Theft of Package & Possess stolen Checks Arrest (PSP 3rd)

1200 Seventh Ave. S.E.

An officer contacted a female in the listed area after witnesses called reporting package theft from a neighboring porch. After further investigation the officer recovered the reported stolen packages from the female and a check book not in her name. She was booked.

Collision Investigation DUI Arrest

4000 S. Meridian

A female driver failed to yield at the location, causing a collision. She admitted to using multiple assorted narcotics/pills. During a consent to search meth was located. A search warrant was authorized and served. She was booked.

ID Theft

2700-block of South Meridian

A victim discovered that someone had attempted to fraudulently open a line of credit in his name. Report to ISU.

DUI Collision

River Road and North Meridian

A reckless driver who reportedly caused a two-car collision later provided breath samples of more than double the legal limit. He was arrested.

Vehicle Prowl

2700-block of Fifth Avenue Northeast

The victim’s vehicle was prowled, and loose change and a phone charger were stolen.

Warrants/Possess Drug Paraphernalia

310 31st Ave S.E. – Walmart

While on scene at Walmart an officer contacted three subjects passed out in their vehicle due to heroin use; further investigative work led to all three being booked for paraphernalia, and all three subjects had Puyallup warrants.

Warrant Arrest / UPDP

310 31st Ave S.E. – Walmart

A male was contacted outside the grocery entrance of Walmart after Officers were dispatched to a possible suicidal person matching his description.

It was determined he was not suicidal; however, after a routine records check, it was determined that he had a $2,600 misdemeanor warrant for Use of Drug Paraphernalia out of Puyallup PD. A search incident to arrest revealed drug paraphernalia and a trace amount of Methamphetamine. He was booked.

DUI Collision / Blood Warrant

1500 Shaw Rd.

A male driver was traveling southbound on Shaw Rd. He was driving recklessly when he decided to pass a vehicle in a no passing zone, causing a head on collision. When he was contacted, it was determined that he had consumed alcohol.

PC was established for DUI. Because of the possible seriousness of injury, the traffic unit assisted with the investigation. A search warrant was served for blood and the driver was booked.

DUI – Alcohol

11th Street Northwest and River Road

A male driver was stopped after he was observed operating a motor vehicle without headlights during hours of darkness. After SFST’s were performed, it was determined he was impaired. He provided two breath samples of 0.124 and 0.133. He was booked.