Yelm officer involved in deadly vehicle pursuit accident during weekend chase

A tragic incident unfolded in Yelm on Sunday evening, as a police pursuit ended in a fatal accident. An officer was chasing a vehicle that crossed from Thurston County into Pierce County when the suspect collided with an oncoming driver. The innocent driver was ejected from their vehicle and sadly died at the scene. Fortunately, the officer involved was unharmed, although their patrol vehicle was completely totaled.

The Washington State Patrol is currently investigating the incident and will conduct a full reconstruction, which is expected to take a couple of weeks. The Yelm community is left grappling with the aftermath of this unfortunate event.

In other news, the Public Services Department is conducting water reclamation facility testing this week, and construction on the trail over the bridge is set to begin soon. Local employees recently participated in a Chamber of Commerce member appreciation event, where attendees celebrated with a baseball prize.

Looking ahead, the Seattle to Portland bike ride is scheduled to pass through Yelm this Saturday, and community conversations will take place tomorrow night at the community center at 6:00 PM. Additionally, the city will host its annual employee appreciation barbecue lunch on Wednesday, the 23rd, at noon, inviting council members to join in the festivities.