
Clark County Sheriff’s Office held probable cause to arrest 29-year-old Dakota Carras for Robbery and Kidnapping
A man wanted on charges in Clark County was taken into custody after a pursuit from Kelso into Oregon Sunday.
At about 1:45 p.m. on Sunday (June 26), Sgt. Rob Stumph with the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office was traveling on Maple St. in Kelso when he saw a subject he recognized as Dakota Carras sitting in a vehicle. The 29-year-old Carras had outstanding warrants for his arrest.
Sgt. Stumph activated his emergency lights and gave Carras commands to exit the vehicle. A female standing near the car also told Carras to get out of the vehicle several times. She told Sgt. Stumph that her children were inside the car. Carras then fled in the vehicle. The female subject stated that she was dating Carras, but he was not the children’s father and he did not have permission to take her children. The female subject was also the owner of the vehicle.
Sgt. Stumph relayed this information to responding units and learned via radio that Clark County Sheriff’s Office held probable cause to arrest Carras for Robbery and Kidnapping (unrelated to this incident).
Deputies and officers pursued Carras as he drove recklessly through the Lexington and Columbia Heights areas at speeds up to 90 miles per hour before he crossed the Rainier Bridge into Oregon.
Washington and Oregon law enforcement officers pursued Carras until he was taken into custody near Knappa, Oregon. The children, a 5-year-old and a 22-month-old, were returned to their mother unharmed. Carras was booked into Columbia County Jail on his outstanding warrants.
The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office is requesting charges against Dakota Carras for Kidnapping 1st Degree (two counts), Reckless Endangerment (two counts) and Attempt to Elude a Law Enforcement Officer.
Information provided by Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office.
Also read:
- Opinion: Olympia wants a 4-day work week. It won’t work out as the politicians think it willMark Harmsworth argues that House Bill 2611’s proposed 32-hour workweek would raise costs, strain small businesses, and undermine Washington’s economic competitiveness.
- Republicans celebrate school choice in US Senate hearing, while Dems question fairnessRepublicans and Democrats clashed during a U.S. Senate hearing over school choice, with supporters praising expanded options for families and critics warning the policies could deepen inequities in public education.
- Opinion: The many reminders not to speedDoug Dahl examines the many technological and policy-based reminders aimed at reducing speeding and explains why most drivers still choose not to use them voluntarily.
- County Council still looking to change language in Rules of ProcedureClark County Council members continued debating proposed changes to the Rules of Procedure tied to last year’s removal of Michelle Belkot from the C-TRAN board, including new language that would require councilors to vote in alignment with council positions.
- WA Senate passes bill banning law enforcement from wearing masks amid ICE activityThe Washington State Senate approved Senate Bill 5855, sending the proposal to the House and advancing a debate over whether law enforcement officers, including federal agents, should be barred from wearing masks during public interactions.
- Opinion: Free care for people who don’t live here? It’s being encouraged — HB 2250 can helpElizabeth New (Hovde) argues that Washington’s current charity care rules encourage out-of-state use of non-emergency hospital services and supports HB 2250 to restore residency-based limits.
- Opinion: Update on legislation to restore fairness and local control to transit governing boards and a bill to create accountability for the I-5 Bridge projectRep. John Ley outlines the status of several bills addressing transit governance, accountability for the Interstate 5 Bridge Replacement Project, criminal sentencing standards, and ongoing state responsibilities in his latest legislative update.








