The man was arrested on suspicion of DUI, assault and malicious mischief after the early morning incident.
OLYMPIA, Wash. — A 21-year-old man was arrested early Thursday after troopers say he damaged windows and doors at the Washington Legislative Building and led troopers on a chase through Olympia, according to the Washington State Patrol.
The man was booked into the Thurston County Jail on suspicion of DUI, second-degree assault and first-degree malicious mischief.
KING 5 News does not name suspects until they are officially charged.
The incident began around 1:15 a.m. when a trooper heard loud noises near the northwest corner of the Legislative Building, which serves as the operational center of the state Capitol Campus, WSP said.
From a distance, the trooper saw a man throwing large rocks at first-floor windows, according to the patrol.
When another campus trooper arrived, the man drove away in a white 2009 Chevrolet Malibu.
Troopers and officers with the Olympia Police Department joined the chase. WSP said one trooper’s vehicle was hit by the Malibu, but the damage was minor and no injuries were reported.
The chase continued onto an access road and crossed a wooden bridge on a popular pedestrian walkway and crashed shortly after, according to WSP.
Surveillance cameras later found the man lying near the railroad tracks at Marathon Park. Troopers and Olympia police officers took him into custody without further incident.
WSP said a sobriety test was administered after the arrest.
An early review of the Legislative Building found no sign that anyone got inside illegally, according to WSP. State officials said 13 office window sets and two doors were heavily damaged by large rocks. Several windows also had blood on them, which officials said appeared to come from the man’s fist or hands.
Protective film installed on the windows after previous vandalism helped keep the man from entering the building and limited damage inside, WSP said.
The Department of Enterprise Services is handling cleanup, replacement and restoration work.
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