A person commits a criminal offense (crime) if they intentionally flee from a person they know or should know is a peace officer or federal special investigator attempting to lawfully arrest or detain them. A person will be subject to higher penalties if they use a motor vehicle or watercraft while evading arrest or detention, or cause injury to another person. This criminal offense is also known as “fleeing and eluding.”
In Washington State, the act of intentionally fleeing from a person whom one knows, or reasonably should know, is a peace officer or federal special investigator during a lawful arrest or detention constitutes a criminal offense known as 'fleeing and eluding.' If an individual uses a motor vehicle or watercraft to evade arrest or detention, the penalties are typically more severe. Furthermore, if the act of fleeing and eluding results in injury to another person, the individual may face even higher penalties. This offense is taken seriously by law enforcement and the courts, and it can lead to significant legal consequences, including fines and imprisonment.