A suspected impaired driver in Washington state was arrested after a tense 40-minute standoff ended with police sending a K-9 through the driver’s side window, according to newly released body camera footage.
The Vancouver Police Department on Thursday released bodycam and dashcam video from the July 26 incident, showing the end of a prolonged pursuit when K-9 Midas jumped into the vehicle through the driver’s window to help officers take the suspect into custody.
Authorities said officers were initially called after several people reported a driver who appeared impaired, had allegedly passed out behind the wheel and was seen inhaling from compressed air cans while driving.
When officers found the vehicle, they said they saw the driver continuing to inhale from a can and attempted to pull the vehicle over.
The driver did not stop, police said. Video from the scene shows the vehicle hitting a curb, speeding away and nearly veering into a yard while trying to escape officers.
Police said the driver’s behavior created an immediate risk to the public, leading an officer to use a Grappler device, which successfully disabled and stopped the vehicle.
But the confrontation did not end there. After the vehicle came to a halt, police said the driver ignored repeated commands to exit.
Officers then spent more than 40 minutes speaking with the driver and weighing several ways to resolve the standoff, including the possible use of a 40 mm less-lethal launcher and pepper balls.
Police said the driver continued inhaling from compressed air cans throughout the standoff and refused repeated commands to surrender.
After multiple warnings, officers deployed K-9 Midas through the driver’s side window.
The video shows officers quickly surrounding the vehicle after the K-9 entered the car before safely taking the driver into custody.
The suspect, Brandon Wells, was booked into the Clark County Jail on charges of attempting to elude police, driving under the influence, reckless driving and resisting arrest.
