SEATTLE — Police arrested a man accused of repeatedly driving a truck into his girlfriend’s truck and then threatening her with a cement block in North Seattle last week.
On Feb. 7 at 11:04 a.m., dispatchers received a report from someone who said two trucks were deliberately crashing into each other on Interlake.
About 40 minutes later, a woman flagged down officers on Stone Avenue North and North Northgate Way who happened to be passing by. They also found the suspect on the block and interviewed him separately.
The woman told officers that the man she’d been dating, 46-year-old Michael Harstad, had hit her truck numerous times with another truck she owned and threatened her with a concrete block.
She explained that she owns three vehicles and had given Harstad permission to drive her black Dodge Dakota, court documents said.
The woman said that morning, Harstad said he was going to take her black Dakota and sell it, as it was his. She told him no, got into her blue Dodge Dakota, and drove away.
According to a Seattle police case investigation report, Harstad came around the corner in her black Dakota and drove it into her truck. She continued to drive and tried to find a place to pull over to look at the damage, but Harstad found her and again hit her truck, documents said.
The cat-and-mouse game continued until Harstad parked the black Dakota in the 10300 block of Interlake Avenue North, police said. He then got a cement block and smashed in the truck’s windows, according to the victim, who said she was watching him where she had parked a short distance away.
When Harstad realized his girlfriend had parked a few houses down from where he was destroying the truck, he approached and threw a screwdriver at her, which went through the windshield of her blue Dakota and became lodged in the dashboard, the police report said.
He then picked up the cement block, raised it over his head, and began chasing her, according to the victim. She then waved down officers who were driving by.
Police said when Harstad was arrested, he was belligerent and said in front of officers, who were wearing body cameras, “F*** you … she better get a no contact order, I’m gonna beat that b**** up when I see her. I hate that b****!”
While Harstad was at the north precinct, he also said, “When I get out, she’s gonna get a shiner or something by somebody!” according to officers.
Court documents said the victim’s black Dakota driven by Harstad had front and rear end damage, a broken canopy window and a smashed windshield. The blue Dakota driven by the victim had minor front and rear end damage, plus damage to the windshield and dashboard caused by the screwdriver.
During a police interview, Harstad admitted to throwing the screwdriver at the victim and throwing the cement block on the black Dakota’s windshield, charging documents said.
Harstad was charged with malicious mischief -- domestic violence, harassment -- domestic violence, and fourth-degree assault -- domestic violence.
Court documents show Harstad has a history of domestic violence incidents.
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