S-3767               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6648

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senators Sutherland and Metcalf

Read first time 1/19/90 and referred to Committee on  Environment & Natural Resources.

AN ACT Relating to attempts by vessel operators to elude pursuing law enforcement vessels; adding new sections to chapter 88.08 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 88.08 RCW to read as follows:

          Any operator of a vessel who willfully fails to stop when requested or signaled to do so by a person reasonably identifiable as a law enforcement officer is guilty of a misdemeanor.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 88.08 RCW to read as follows:

          Any operator of a vessel who willfully fails or refuses to immediately bring the vessel to a stop and who operates the vessel in a manner indicating a wanton or willful disregard for the lives or property of others while attempting to elude a pursuing law enforcement vessel, after being given a visual or audible signal to bring the vessel to a stop, shall be guilty of a class C felony punishable under chapter 9A.20 RCW.  The signal given by the law enforcement officer may be by hand, voice, emergency light, or siren.  The officer giving such a signal shall be in uniform and his or her vessel shall be appropriately marked showing it to be an official law enforcement vessel.