#EVERETT — The driver who led a police chase Oct. 1 before causing U.S. 2 to be closed for hours pleaded not guilty in late October, and will face a jury trial in Snohomish County Superior Court this year.
#Phillip Kay, of Seattle, and his girlfriend had given a man a ride home to Sultan that night.
#The man had sought fentanyl at a casino in Fife. He met with Kay, a drug dealer, to buy drugs from him. During their time together, the pair learned about the man’s recently purchased Mercedes-Benz sedan, and it led to them giving him a ride home in the man’s Mercedes in the early morning.
#Along on the ride, the prosecutor’s charging documents say Kay demanded the Sultan man give up money, and at one point the man had
#a gun pointed in his face. Kay basically extorted his drug buyer, the charging document suggests.
#After refusing to give back the keys, they had the man go into his mom’s house in Sultan to get a wad of money. He walked into the house saying to call 911. Kay didn’t wait around and drove off with the car.
#A sheriff’s deputy tried to do a traffic stop on the Mercedes while it was still in Sultan. The man pressed on, weaving in and out of oncoming traffic on U.S. 2 during the 6 a.m. commute on the flats between
#Sultan and Monroe, with the deputy now in pursuit. On the highway, Kay flogged that 2007 Mercedes to 100 mph at times, according to the deputy’s estimates.
#Just before entering Monroe, Kay ran over spike strips that damaged the tires. After rushing through Monroe, he wrecked on U.S. 2 at Westwick Road, going into a ditch.
#Three pursuing police cars collided with each other to avoid hitting the car
#when it suddenly stopped upon hitting the ditch.
#U.S. 2 was closed for more than five hours for the investigation, snarling morning traffic both directions.
#Kay faces charges of first-degree robbery for taking the car with the threat of violence, possession of a stolen vehicle and for eluding.
