https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/departments/sheriff

Sheriff Sanders, 1111 Israel Road SW, Tumwater, WA (2026)

09/07/2026

On Saturday morning just before 1AM, a TCSO deputy conducted a proactive area check at the Nisqually Handicap Fishing area which has a long history of criminal activity after hours. The property has posted signs that it is closed at night.

The deputy contacted an individual burning social security cards and identity documents on the ground. When the deputy attempted to identify the individual, she provided a fake name.

The individual refused orders to put a stick in her hand down, and at one point raised it over her head at the deputy which prompted a taser deployment. The taser was ineffective.

A second deputy arrived on scene and parked in front of the suspect who drove around and began eluding pursuing deputies. After blowing a stop sign and driving on the wrong side of the road, a PIT maneuver was conducted that brought the fleeing driver to a halt in the ditch.

The driver was placed under arrest, at which point deputies could smell a strong odor of alcohol. The suspect was processed and booked for DUI, criminal impersonation 1st, attempting to elude, and obstructing.

09/06/2026

Earlier this morning at approximately 0230 I stopped a vehicle for lane travel and a burnt out brake light. The driver provided me a false name and date of birth, and when I asked him how old he was, he provided three different ages 🚩

After giving him three separate chances to provide me the correct information, a deputy spotted his ID card that he tried to hide near the passenger seat. The driver had a suspended license and an active warrant from a neighboring county for driving on a suspended license. The driver was placed under arrest.

Based off of irregularities with the vehicle (interior trim pieces popped off with an otherwise clean interior) and the extreme degree in which the driver was shaking from nerves, Tumwater Police K9 Thor and his handler responded for a drug sniff.

K9 Thor indicated on the front passenger door for narcotics. I was connected with a Judge in application of a telephonic search warrant, which was granted. A substance suspected to be m**hamphetamine was located in the center console, and a small amount of suspected fentanyl was located in the door pocket where K9 Thor indicated. The suspects wallet and identifying documents were also observed in a hidden compartment.

The suspect was booked into jail for DWLS 3rd, criminal impersonation 1st, and UPCS m**h. Great job by K9 Thor, and a special thanks to Deputy Hart for helping log the evidence since my rider and I were out way past our bedtime.

09/06/2026

Tonight, WSP’s airplane Smokey spotted a recklessly driven street bike on I5 in Lacey. A trooper tried to stop the bike, which fled at speeds over 130mph. Ground units terminated as the air unit followed.

The bike fled to Tacoma before flipping around and coming back to Thurston County. I happened to be at Martin Way when the bike exited, at which point I observed a passenger on the bike along with the driver.

The air unit continued to follow the rider to an apartment complex in West Olympia where WSP and TCSO units detained the driver as he was putting a cover on the bike.

WSP has one in custody for attempting to elude. Nice job Washington State Patrol.

09/06/2026

Today, TCSO deputies received a number of tips from citizens regarding the whereabouts of our recent shooting suspect.

At approximately 3PM, a tip came in with deputies waiting nearby. Deputies were able to take the suspect into custody without force. The suspect was booked into jail for assault 1st degree and four counts of unlawful possession of a fi***rm by a felon along with his felony warrant for theft.

Great job by our alert community members to help get this suspect into custody!

09/04/2026

NARCOTICS TASK FORCE INVESTIGATION LEADS TO ARREST OF DRUG DEALER WANTED FOR R**E + SEIZURE OF DRUGS, GUNS, AND ASSETS

On September 2nd, 2026, detectives assigned to the Narcotics Task Force concluded an investigation into a convicted felon narcotics dealer living in Kent who was responsible for the flow of fentanyl and co***ne into Thurston County. The suspect was also wanted by King County Sheriff’s Office for r**e and kidnapping.

He was arrested without incident while numerous search warrants were executed simultaneously at numerous locations in King County. The seizure included:

• 387 grams of fentanyl
• 1902 grams of co***ne
• 4 fi***rms
• $16,000 cash
• Gold Jewelry
• Freightliner Tow Truck
• Chevrolet Monte Carlo
• Chevrolet C8 Corvette

With the help of King County Sheriff's Office, the suspect was booked into King County Jail for r**e 2nd degree, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, UPCS with intent to deliver while armed fentanyl/co***ne, and four counts of unlawful possession of a fi***rm.

The Narcotics Task Force is a regional team comprised of TCSO detectives, WA Department of Corrections SW Community Response Unit, and Homeland Security Investigations. The FBI also assisted in this case.

𝘝𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘦

09/04/2026

Deputy Smith was recently selected to fill our Tenino School Resource Officer position and it looks like she is a good fit!

Sheriff’s Office SRO’s are heading back to school 🍎

09/04/2026

Earlier tonight, deputies stopped a car associated with a DOC felony escape warrant suspect leaving a known compound in the Tumwater area. The individual was compliant and taken into custody.

Deputies and I then made contact at the associated compound and located a second DOC felony escape warrant suspect. This individual was less than cooperative, so K9 Mac was made ready. The suspect refused to come out initially and could be seen smoking a cigarette inside. Eventually he surrendered and was taken into custody without further incident.

While this was occurring, a 911 caller in Littlerock called in to report a man “peeing everywhere on the road”. This individual was not located, but the responding sergeant was able to confirm that it did in fact appear to be the case.

A deputy in the Yelm area conducted a traffic stop on an individual with an active warrant out of their arrest. That individual was placed under arrest without incident.

To cap the night off, a deputy stopped a vehicle in downtown Olympia. The driver then accidentally backed into the deputy during the traffic stop. The driver agreed to participate in voluntary field sobriety tests and it was determined they were not impaired. There was no damage to the patrol car due to the push bumper, however the other driver lost a tail light which is a bummer.

09/04/2026

Earlier today, deputies were dispatch to a domestic violence assault in the Lacey area.

Upon arrival, deputies learned the suspect fled the area. K9 Mac was called out from home, and a track was started down a steep embankment into the Billy Frank Jr Wildlife Refuge.

TCSO and Olympia Police deployed drones in the area. A two and a half hour long K9 track ensued, which included deputies being stung dozens of times by bees in the swamp. About halfway through, K9 Mac was swapped out for K9 Igo due to fatigue. The Olympia drone operator spotted the suspect hiding in the bushes near the water, at which point the K9 team was guided in and the suspect surrendered. The deputies and the suspect were then extricated by Nisqually Tribal Police via watercraft. The suspect was booked into jail for domestic violence assault.

Fantastic work by all involved, with a special shout out to Olympia Police Department, Lacey Police Department, and Nisqually Tribal Police for their assistance that went above and beyond.

09/03/2026

Last night, a TCSO deputy stopped a vehicle on Martin Way E. As the car pulled over, the driver and passenger swapped seats. Olympia Police responded to assist.

The passenger (who was driving) provided a false name to the deputy. The deputy was unable to verify the name, at which point the second occupant exited the vehicle with their hands up as the original driver slid back into the driver seat and fled at a high rate of speed. The second occupant was cooperative and remained on scene with OPD.

A pursuit was initiated east on Martin Way to I5 NB. The driver crashed into a the divider on I5 and fled on foot. K9 Mac was deployed on a straight take and apprehended the suspect a short distance away.

The suspect was positively identified. He had an active felony DOC escape warrant and was driving on a suspended license in the 2nd degree. He was treated at the hospital for K9 contact and subsequently booked into jail for attempting to elude, criminal impersonation 1st, DWLS 2nd, resisting arrest, and his DOC warrant.

Nice job deputies and K9 Mac!

09/03/2026

The last 24 hours are symbolic of what has ultimately been a strenuous and long year packed full of critical incidents both out in the community and in our jail. This is in addition to all of the normal stress and wear on a law enforcement organization.

Whether it’s an officer involved shooting or the death of an infant, these critical incidents have far reaching impacts on the family, friends, and loved ones of those involved. After more than a decade in a first responder role, there is one thing I know: the wear and tear on individuals and our community as a whole compounds over time.

Right now, I think we can all feel the weight that continues to pile on after each incident. As time goes on, some of the old weight lightens, but a structural issue exists: the new weight feels like it is piling on faster than the old weight slides off.

One of unique realities of first responder culture is the constant pressure of minimum staffing that lingers behind every thought and decision. This isn’t just abnormal compared to most workplaces: it is outright unhealthy. In traditional workplaces, when a critical incident occurs everyone can go home and reset. When a critical incident occurs for first responders, we work through it and head off to the next call.

I’ve been involved in a number of critical incidents over the years. Working through the incident in real time is a blur. What comes after is not: the pressure to get back to work. The timeline to grieve for first responders is razor thin, because someone has to get back out there and handle 911 calls that are stacking up.

I thought about this a lot recently with the death of Lacey Firefighter Johnson. The news was shocking, and I stopped by the fire station to check on his coworkers. They weren’t there, because they were out working a car crash with deputies while simultaneously mourning their brother.

Right now, I can feel that Thurston County Sheriff’s Office and our community are tired. I won’t pretend to have all the answers, but I know this: I know how fortunate we are to have each other, and I know how fortunate we are that we don’t have to present a folded flag to the family of one of our deputies after last night.

We are resilient, and we’ll keep pressing forward together.

Sheriff Sanders

09/07/2026

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