Car chase suspect pleads guilty

The suspect who led King County Sheriff’s deputy on a high-speed chase through Ballard last month has had his day in court. King Count Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Chris Nielsen says that 44 year-old William O. Dulmage plead guilty as charged to one count of Possessing a Stolen Vehicle and one count of Attempting to Elude a Pursuing Police Vehicle. He will be sentenced on April 24th to 22-29 months in jail. Nielsen says Dulmage will likely receive 25 months.

Dulmage told deputies at the scene that the reason he didn’t stop for them was because he said, “I was stupid.” Dulmage has a long record: he’s previously been convicted of DUI, hit-and-run, reckless driving, possessing a stolen vehicle, taking a motor vehicle, and attempting to elude.

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26 thoughts to “Car chase suspect pleads guilty”

  1. Ok, some time for him to contemplate the alternatives.
    Given his track record, he's had some of that before…who knows. Maybe this time will be different…I'm glad that it isn't a catch and release issue!

  2. I'm still pissed the cops sped down my street at 60 mph, past the homes of at least 4 kids I know of, all for the sake of a petty car thief. That is, taking one petty car thief off the streets for two measly years. There's a million more car thieves where that guy came from and I'm not sure it was worth the life of a housecat, let alone one of our kids.

    Bad Deputy, no donut. You were stupid too.

  3. I live on 65th and I see cars speeding by at least that fast EVERY single day (and night) (45 mph.) No kids or cats were in fact, harmed.I would just as soon not have criminals roaming our neighborhood, thanks. I'll bet my two neighbors who had their cars stolen recently (one, twice) here on 65th wouldn't agree with you.

    (That's right, it was 45 mph, NOT 60 mph.)

    I'd buy that cop a bushel of donuts, in fact. Thanks, Seattle PD!

  4. “I'm still pissed the cops sped down my street at 60 mph, past the homes of at least 4 kids I know of, all for the sake of a petty car thief. That is, taking one petty car thief off the streets for two measly years. There's a million more car thieves where that guy came from and I'm not sure it was worth the life of a housecat, let alone one of our kids.

    Bad Deputy, no donut. You were stupid too.”

    Yeah, maybe they should just let him go next time. Maybe they can call your house first and ask you if it's OK to pursue a criminal with multiple convictions through your neighborhood, or if it's OK for a guy like that to be driving around your neighborhood putting your children at risk.

    Having had somebody taken from my life by a drunk driver with multiple convictions, attitudes like yours make me sick.

    If you really cared about your children as much as you claim instead of grandstanding your cop-hating credentials, you should be thanking them. It could be your kid running across the street next time this guy decides to take a drive.

  5. I'm talking about when they went by my house on 16th at 60 mph, not when they did whatever I didn't see on 65th. . I'm pretty sure I know what 60 looks like and what 45 looks like, and it was 60. It's a street so narrow you have to pull over if there is a car coming from the other direction. It was a King County Sheriff, not SPD, which I know because I was an eyewitness.

    You know if you hate the idea a stolen car, you can buy more insurance, you can get LoJack, or a garage, or The Club. You can settle on a less desirable care that they won't steal. There are tons of practical options besides having high speed chases down narrow residential streets.

    And even if there weren't, this conviction changes the odds of your car being stolen by 0.01%

    I also know the whole fiasco was against King County Sheriff's department policy. So there: bad Deputy.

  6. There was no “cop hate” in what I said. What I said is consistent with King County Sheirff policy. You know, wild exaggerations and unfounded accusations are the reason these comment boards are full of flamewars instead of civil discussion.

  7. “Bad Deputy, no donut.”

    “There was no “cop hate” in what I said.”

    I think we can all infer from your posts where you stand. While I agree that at a certain point it is not worth risking the lives of innocent civilians to apprehend or deter a petty crook, this guy had multiple convictions for vehicular crimes (including drunk driving), so in this instance most of us will agree that the officer made the correct call, against department policy or not. Sometimes we forget that law efforcement officers are people too, and must use more personal judgement in executing their day-to-day jobs than most of us would feel comfortable with. So cut 'em some slack, Jack.

  8. I apologize to everyone who thinks “Bad Deputy, no donut,” is hateful. I'm used to cops who think it's funny.

    I don't think you can infer where I stand because I object to one high speed chase. The funny thing is that the work I've done to support the SPD and increase the SPD budget, I get stereotyped as some kind of right wing monster in the minds of others who read things on the Internet and use their wild imaginations to fill in all the blanks. Not everyone who has a different opinion than you fits your stereotype of your worst enemy.

    The Deputy had no idea whether he was chasing a car thief or drunk driver or Osama bin Laden himself. The Deputy is not a psychic; he has to make a decision based on the facts he sees and the rules. All he knew is that KCSO policy says not to beat down residential streets at 60 and he did it anyway. Bet he got reprimanded.

  9. if you have participated on the work that you claim w/the spd, what you're saying doesn't sound consistent with supporting them.

    lesson learned. maybe choose your words a little more carefully next time.

  10. OK, you win. I don't support them unquestionably. I don't support them blindly. I don't support every single act individual LEOs do without regard to context and circumstances. My support is limited to wanting them to do their jobs well and to keep themselves safe and to be a better, more effective force. My support of the police is probably nothing compared to some people.

  11. As I've stated before, I expect them to pursue anytime that they are authorized to, yes, they have to be authorized, and stay in contact via radio, speeds and locations are always provided, and considered. The call to break off a pursuit happens too often, and exactly because the public in general does 'pitch a bitch' when they are doing their job. You won't find anything other than support for them from my perspective. I hate 'soft on crime' wussies….
    Have a nice day.

  12. You're that Ballard blog insult guy, right? I was wondering when you would show up and start the “internet rage,” as they call it now.

  13. Let's just say that I'd wish you would focus on your 'pissed' attitude, and join the club. There's plenty of that to go around….do something with it, I'm sure that they would appreciate your first hand input. Well, they won't 'lob an insult' and run…

  14. ok, still not done. 'Practical'….maybe you should understand the word, and the world around you.
    'Fiasco'…is what we would have to deal with if the cops listened to you.
    Again, sincerely, have a nice day.

  15. btw, I wouldn't even give you the time of day if you hadn't 'called my name'…. here's your words…

    “I don't support every single a”C”t individual LEOs do wit”H”out regard to c”O”ntext and circumstances. My su”PP”ort is limit”E”d to wanting them to do thei”R” jobs.

    Yeah, I heard that loud and clear.

  16. Cops have thankless jobs. You couldn't pay me enough to do what they do. And no matter how they do it, someone's always gonna bitch. Here we have a speedy chase and an arrest, and facebook has a beef. If the cop had let him go, someone else would have a beef. The bottom line is, the one person best equiped to make a judgement call on a proper response is the cop sitting in his car. Not us. Was this particular decision the right one? I don't know, and I won't pretend to. But there are 2 things I do know:

    1. Bad guy arrested.

    2. No one was hurt.

    I'm not a criminal justice major, but that looks like a successful incident. Maybe we should be thankful and leave it at that?

  17. Nobody wanted you.

    All you did was say the same thing that several other people already said. They said it with one comment, politely. You said it with a dozen comments, rudely, and childishly.

  18. “Bad Deputy, no donut. You were stupid too.”

    Sorry for being reactive to such hate and irresponsible commentary.

    And yes, I tend to say what others may say, (or think) yet, I'm the kook?

    I won't let you push my buttons anymore, it's not helpful to the forum…

    Have a good day.

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