Zachary R. McCreary, the suspect in a series of alleged reckless driving and eluding incidents, including one originating in West Seattle, made his first court appearance today in King County.

Prosecutors had requested a bail amount of $250,000, but the judge ultimately set bail at $100,000 after finding probable cause.

The first appearance hearing is a preliminary step and differs from the higher burden of proof required for a felony charging decision, which King County Prosecutors anticipate receiving from police investigators in the coming days. McCreary's next court date, a second appearance, is scheduled for August 8, 2025, at 2:30 PM.

Timeline of Events Leading to Court Appearance:

• June 18, 2025: Seattle Police 911 Dispatch received a call from Zachary R. McCreary reporting his silver 2025 Honda Civic (WA/CRC4570) stolen. Officer Johns completed a police report, noting it was a non-emergency report with no suspect or physical evidence at the time. The vehicle was subsequently registered as stolen in WACIC. Later that evening, Washington State Patrol advised that the vehicle had been recovered after being involved in a collision and was impounded at Cheap Towing in West Seattle.

• June 20, 2025 (West Seattle Incident): Officer Fischer observed a suspicious white Chevrolet sedan with no license plates parked outside Cheap Towing in West Seattle, which was closed at the time. Officer Fischer identified a white male, later confirmed as Zachary, standing next to the vehicle. Stolen vehicles often have their license plates removed by thieves to conceal their status, and burglars frequently use stolen vehicles in the commission of crimes. Zachary then entered the Chevrolet Malibu and began reversing towards Officer Fischer's patrol vehicle, forcing the officer to reverse to avoid a collision. Zachary stopped briefly before reversing again, trapping Officer Fischer between the Malibu and a metal gate. After making hand gestures, Zachary drove away, leading Officer Fischer and other officers, including Officer Henderson, in an attempted traffic stop. Zachary then reportedly drove recklessly, including into oncoming traffic and performing an unsafe U-turn, to elude officers. Officers eventually deactivated their emergency equipment and opted not to pursue further.

    ◦ Following this incident, Officer Fischer returned to Cheap Towing and spoke with the owner, Pardeep Kaur, who stated she had received a call from the owner of the Honda Civic impounded at the lot. The caller, using the same phone number Zachary provided to 911, stated he could not afford to release the vehicle but wanted to retrieve belongings. Officer Fischer verified the Honda in the lot matched the one reported stolen by Zachary. Officer Fischer also observed fresh damage to the towing lot gates, and a witness, Lee D. Bui, reported seeing a man matching Zachary's description attempt to climb the fence.

• June 24, 2025 (Kent Incident): Officer Steiner with the Kent Police Department observed a white Chevrolet Malibu with no license plates run a red light in Kent. Sgt Goforth and Officer Tudor located the vehicle, which then executed a U-turn and accelerated to an estimated 85 mph, failing to yield to emergency lights. Officers pursued the vehicle, which drove into a dead-end street. Officer Steiner exited his vehicle with his firearm drawn, ordering the driver to stop, but the Malibu drove around him. Sgt Goforth attempted to deploy stop sticks, but the Malibu managed to drive around them, further evidencing an attempt to elude police. Officers eventually terminated the pursuit due to public safety concerns.

• August 2, 2025 (Identification): Officer Hamerly of the Seattle Police Department received a call from Officer Steiner, who informed him that Kent Police had successfully identified the driver in their eluding incident as Zachary R. McCreary. This identification was made by utilizing information from the June 20, 2025 report, specifically Zachary’s phone number used to contact the Cheap Towing owner, which led them to Zachary's Department of Licensing (DOL) photo. Officer Hamerly then provided Zachary's DOL photo to Officer Fischer, who confirmed recognizing Zachary as the suspect from the June 20 eluding incident, noting he got a good look at Zachary before he reversed his vehicle. With this confirmation, probable cause was developed for Zachary's arrest for Attempt to Elude a Police Vehicle.

• August 3, 2025 (Additional Seattle Incidents): Officers Pressley and Parent were dispatched to an assault where Seattle Fire Department (SFD) firefighters were victims. SFD reported a driver in a grey or silver Honda Accord drove up to their fire engine and offered them a "whippit," a slang term for recreational inhalant use. After SFD declined, the driver reportedly pulled in front of the fire engine and reversed into it multiple times before fleeing the area. Real Time Crime Center footage showed the driver, described as a white male with facial hair and a black hat, possibly inhaling something. The Honda had significant rear damage and no license plate. Later, Officer Adams was dispatched to a hit-and-run involving a silver Honda with no plates, whose driver was seen using narcotics and attempting to strike pedestrians. Officers Carter and Hay located the vehicle at a Chevron gas station and attempted a high-risk traffic stop, but the Honda eluded them, driving around patrol vehicles with activated lights and sirens. The Honda then intentionally braked in front of a patrol vehicle, appearing to attempt to cause a collision.

The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has not yet received all images related to the case but anticipates a felony case referral from police in the coming days.