Man suspected in January hit-and-run in downtown Tacoma arrested in Oregon, police say
Stephen Tadla ran, but he couldn’t hide.
Almost five months after a Jan. 26 hit and run incident that injured a woman in downtown Tacoma, police in Bend, Ore. arrested Tadla Friday, according to a statement from Tacoma police. He’ll be booked into the Pierce County Jail, and face charges of first-degree assault and failure to remain at the scene of an injury accident.
On 1/26/22 a 49 yr. old female was deliberately struck by a truck outside of America's Car Museum while protesting. Detectives developed P.C. & a warrant was issued for a suspect in the hit & run. Today the 33 yr. old male suspect was arrested in Bend, Oregon by @BendCityPolice. pic.twitter.com/nSNIBWQW77
— Tacoma Police Department (@TacomaPD) June 18, 2022
Pierce County prosecutors filed those charges Monday, though Tadla was not yet in custody. A warrant was issued for his arrest after police developed information linking Tadla to the pickup truck that injured 49-year-old Theresa Evans, who was participating in a protest outside the LeMay-America’s Car Museum..
Evans sustained a concussion, head lacerations, and a shattered pelvis, according to charging papers. Investigators found that Tadla left the state after the incident, sold the pickup truck, relinquished his Washington driver’s license, and left the state.
Charging documents did not explain Tadla’s possible motives.
