Police Find Unclothed Man Hiding 10 Days Later

A Washington man accused of leading deputies on a dangerous chase in a stolen dump truck, with a woman and a four-year-old child inside, remained on the run for 10 days before officers found him hiding unclothed inside a residential garbage can.

The August 2024 case was presented by the bodycam channel Midwest Safety, which identified the suspect as Jacob Patterson and showed how an initial encounter with a man slumped behind the wheel developed into two separate pursuits, a neighborhood search, and a K9-assisted arrest.

According to the channel’s narration and court information included with the footage, deputies first found Patterson inside a stolen Ford F-350 dump truck on August 11, but he woke as officers prepared stop sticks and drove away at high speed.

The truck later crashed, leaving behind Patterson’s former girlfriend and their young son, while Patterson escaped and avoided capture until deputies located another suspicious vehicle connected to the same woman on August 21.

A Stolen Truck Pursuit Put a Child in Danger

Midwest Safety said deputies initially found Patterson slumped behind the wheel of the stolen truck in Spanaway, Washington, while a woman and a four-year-old child were also inside the vehicle.

As officers attempted to position stop sticks to prevent an escape, Patterson allegedly woke up and accelerated away, beginning a pursuit that moved through traffic at increasingly dangerous speeds.

Radio traffic captured deputies reporting speeds around 70, 80, and 90 mph as the truck changed lanes, drove along the shoulder, and moved toward oncoming traffic. Court information cited in the bonus material said the vehicle reached more than 108 mph at one stage of the pursuit.

Deputies also reported that Patterson struck another vehicle, although he continued driving after the collision.

The pursuit was eventually terminated by local deputies, but the truck later crashed in Seattle’s Rainier Valley area. When officers reached the wreck, they found the woman and child inside but could not locate Patterson.

The woman told investigators that she and Patterson had ended their relationship about two weeks earlier and that she was with him only because she wanted to see their son. She also reportedly said Patterson appeared to be under the influence and that the child had been sitting unrestrained in the back during the pursuit.

According to the background account, the woman called 911 from Patterson’s phone while the chase was underway and told dispatchers that her four-year-old was inside the stolen vehicle.

That detail gave the pursuit a much more serious meaning, because Patterson was not only trying to escape arrest but was allegedly doing so while placing two passengers, including a small child, in immediate danger.

Deputies Found the Girlfriend’s Car 10 Days Later

Ten days after the dump truck crash, a fugitive task force responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle near 74th Avenue East and 188th Street Court East in Frederickson.

Officers checked the license plate and determined that the red vehicle belonged to Patterson’s girlfriend, which led them to believe he might be nearby or hiding inside.

The bodycam footage showed deputies surrounding the car and issuing commands while watching movement through the windows. They were cautious because children were believed to be present and because Patterson had already shown that he was willing to flee from law enforcement.

A young child eventually stepped out of the car and walked toward deputies, while officers continued trying to determine who remained inside.

They could see significant movement in the rear portion of the vehicle, but curtains or coverings made it difficult to identify everyone clearly. One deputy discussed using a less-lethal 40 mm round to break the back window and create a better view.

Before firing, officers announced that the round was a beanbag and repeatedly ordered the occupants to show their hands.

After the rear window was broken, officers saw a woman in the back of the car who appeared frightened and was hurriedly putting on clothing. The footage suggested that Patterson was also inside, but he remained out of clear view until he suddenly moved toward one of the doors.

Patterson Fled Without Clothes

As deputies prepared for the occupants to come out, Patterson ran from the vehicle and jumped a nearby fence while completely unclothed.

Officers briefly tried to follow, but supervisors soon directed them to establish containment around the neighborhood rather than continue a disorganized foot chase through backyards.

The decision reflected a more controlled approach after Patterson disappeared into the residential area, where fences, homes, and bystanders could make a hurried pursuit more dangerous.

Deputies began coordinating additional units and requested a police dog while checking yards and speaking with neighbors who may have seen which direction Patterson had traveled.

One officer found what appeared to be a sock along the route, while another resident reported seeing a man run behind nearby homes.

The woman from the vehicle remained with deputies and insisted that she had not intentionally refused commands, explaining that she had been unclothed and was trying to find her clothes before stepping out.

Officers also expressed concern about the child’s living conditions and discussed contacting Child Protective Services, noting that this was the second major law-enforcement event involving the boy within a short period.

The footage did not present the woman as the primary target of the fugitive operation, but her continued presence with Patterson and the conditions inside the sedan raised serious questions about the child’s safety.

A K9 Found Him Inside a Garbage Can

Deputies continued checking the neighborhood and eventually noticed an open gate near one of the homes.

A police K9 team moved through the area and located Patterson hiding inside a garbage can.

An officer shouted that he was in the container and warned Patterson that a dog was present, prompting him to raise his hands while remaining inside.

The arrest that followed was tense but controlled, as deputies ordered him to stand, turn around, and carefully climb out without making sudden movements.

Patterson struggled to position himself inside the cramped container and asked officers not to let the dog bite him. One deputy promised that he would not be bitten if he followed instructions but warned that refusal could lead to the K9 being used.

After he climbed out, deputies handcuffed him and moved him toward a patrol vehicle while shielding him from children who were nearby.

The unusual circumstances of the arrest made the scene memorable, but the larger issue was that Patterson had allegedly fled twice while placing other people at risk, first during the truck pursuit and then during the neighborhood search.

His lack of clothing was incidental to the charges, although it added another layer of disorder to an already serious case.

Eight Charges Led to a Plea Agreement

Midwest Safety reported that Patterson initially faced multiple charges, including unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle, unlawful imprisonment, attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle, reckless endangerment, driving with a suspended license, resisting arrest, property damage, and violations of court orders.

His bail was set at $300,000.

Court records later showed that Patterson reached a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to unlawful imprisonment, attempting to elude police, and violating court orders, while the remaining charges were dismissed.

The court imposed a suspended sentence, meaning he did not immediately serve a prison term but was released under supervision and ordered to comply with several conditions.

Those conditions included restrictions on contact with certain people, a ban on possessing firearms, and a requirement that he provide a DNA sample.

Midwest Safety said court records from 2026 continued to show applications connected with the no-contact order, with some requests granted and others denied.

The four-year-old child was turned over to Child Protective Services for an evaluation of his living conditions.

The Child’s Safety Remained the Central Concern

Although the footage focused heavily on the pursuit and unusual garbage-can arrest, the most troubling part of the case was the repeated danger involving the child.

During the first incident, the boy was allegedly unrestrained inside a stolen truck moving through traffic at extreme speeds, while Patterson reportedly drove into opposing lanes and struck another vehicle.

Ten days later, officers found the child inside a sedan where Patterson was hiding, leading to another armed standoff and foot chase through a residential neighborhood.

The woman argued that homelessness itself was not illegal, which was correct, but deputies said the concern was not simply the family’s housing status. It was the unstable and hazardous environment surrounding the child.

Patterson’s eventual arrest ended the immediate search, yet the plea agreement and suspended sentence meant the case continued through court supervision rather than a lengthy prison term.

Midwest Safety’s account showed how quickly an attempt to avoid one arrest created a much larger series of consequences, from the high-speed chase and crash to the later fugitive operation and child-welfare intervention.

By the time officers found Patterson inside the garbage can, the case was no longer only about a stolen truck. It involved allegations of unlawful imprisonment, reckless conduct, repeated flight from police, and a young child exposed to danger on more than one occasion.