MOSES LAKE, Wash. (31MAY2018) – Several law enforcement officers helped bring a fleeing registered sex offender into custody on Wednesday morning.
Greg Hutchison, the sheriff’s deputy in charge of tracking registered sex offenders, went looking for 53-year-old Gerald Johnston after he moved and failed to update his address. Hutchison brought along another deputy because Johnston is 6-foot-8-inches tall and weighs 330 lbs. The deputies tracked Johnston to a home near Roads 4 and L-Northeast. They saw Johnston drive up and tried to contact him, but Johnston ran, jumped back into his car and drove off. Deputies, Moses Lake police and Washington State Patrol troopers all joined in the chase which lasted for several miles along county roads around Moses Lake.
Law enforcers stopped chasing Johnston’s car when the pursuit entered the city of Moses Lake and the risk to the public was too great. Johnston was found a short time later near East Terrace Avenue and South Grand Drive where he was taken into custody.
Johnston is lodged in the Grant County Jail for investigation of felony eluding a police officer and failing to register as a sex offender.
“Keeping track of registered sex offenders is one of the many duties of the sheriff’s office,” said Sheriff Tom Jones. “It’s one of the several ways we help keep our communities remain safe.”
###
PR75/AGT3
