A man in his 30s has been identified through DNA evidence in the theft of an Everett fire engine and a series of crashes that damaged vehicles and property across the city.
Everett Police detectives have referred multiple charges to the Snohomish County Prosecutor’s Office following the July 2025 theft of an Everett Fire Department engine and the damage that followed, according to police.
The incident began late on July 18, 2025, when a fire engine was stolen from the 2900 block of Hoyt Avenue while firefighters were inside an apartment building responding to a medical emergency, police said.
Authorities said the suspect drove the stolen engine at high speeds through north Everett, striking parked vehicles and damaging property at several locations before abandoning the vehicle and fleeing on foot.
The first 911 call came in shortly after 11 p.m. reporting a hit-and-run involving the fire engine in the 1300 block of Hoyt Avenue, according to police. About a minute later, additional reports came in from the 1000 block of East Marine View Drive, where the engine ultimately came to a stop after crashing into multiple parked vehicles.
Investigators later identified damage across several locations, including multiple blocks of Hoyt Avenue, Alverson Boulevard, and East Marine View Drive, where numerous vehicles, landscaping, and street infrastructure were struck.
Officers located the abandoned fire engine at East Marine View Drive and conducted a K-9 search for the suspect, but no arrest was made at the time, according to police. No injuries were reported.
The stolen engine — identified as a 2018 Pierce Enforcer pumper — sustained significant damage and was taken out of service, according to officials. A reserve unit was deployed to maintain emergency response coverage.
Detectives later identified a suspect using DNA evidence recovered from the fire engine, according to police. The man, described as being in his 30s, was already in custody at the SCORE jail in King County when he was interviewed by investigators.
Following the investigation, police submitted the case to prosecutors for review. The charges under consideration include one count of theft of a motor vehicle, 12 counts of hit-and-run involving unattended vehicles, and six counts of hit-and-run involving unattended property.
“Stealing a fire engine is not only unlawful – it puts our community and our first responders at risk,” said Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin. “I’m grateful to our Everett Police Department and partner agencies for their determined work identifying the suspect in this serious incident.”
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