BELLEVUE, Wash. — Investigators with Washington State Patrol said they arrested a man suspected of stealing Seattle Police Department Officer Alexandra Harris’ car on the night she was struck and killed on I-5 early Sunday.
The man they arrested was 49-year-old Roger Lee Owens Jr. of Seattle. They found him at a motel in the Eastgate area of Bellevue at 9:22 p.m. Thursday.
Owens was arrested for felony hit-and-run, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property, possession of a stolen firearm and identity theft.
Washington State Patrol Captain Ron Mead said there were additional arrests made over the course of several days in the case. However, the arrests were not related to the theft of Officer Harris’ car and additional arrests are expected to be made as the investigation continues.
Looking back at what happened, Harris was on her way home from work, and came across a three-car accident on Interstate 5. She pulled over and got out to check on the drivers. That was when the Washington State Patrol stated Harris was struck and killed. The driver stayed on the scene and cooperated with investigators. Someone from the earlier crash, later believed to be Owens, took off in her car.
Assistant Seattle Police Chief Tom Mahaffey said on the day of Harris’ death: “It’s devastating. It’s very difficult for all of us. Piggy-backing to what Captain Mead said, to lose anyone in this manner would be devastating. But when it’s somebody committed to public safety, trying to do the right thing when they could have just kept going.”
As for Officer Harris, she wanted everyone to call her “Lexi.” She joined the Seattle Police Department five years ago.
Washington State Patrol is still asking anyone who knows anything about the collision to give them a call, as the investigation remains ongoing.