Pierce County prosecutors have charged a 26-year-old Puyallup man in connection with a high-speed chase that ended with him being shot by a Washington State Patrol trooper.
Paul Bruglia pleaded not guilty Monday to second-degree assault, attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle and driving under the influence during his arraignment.
The State Patrol said Bruglia was driving up to 130 miles per hour early Saturday when trooper Sean Chatterton began chasing him south on Interstate 5 before Bruglia crashed his car near Bay Street.
When the trooper stepped out of his vehicle, dashboard video shows Bruglia ramming the patrol car, according to charging papers. Fearing for his life, Chatterton fired his gun, wounding Bruglia on the wrist, the papers state.
Bruglia began driving north in the southbound lanes in an attempt to escape and again rammed the trooper’s patrol car before getting on state Route 16 and crashing a second time, the charging papers state. He was taken into custody and treated for his wound.
Chatterton is on administrative leave while an investigation is conducted, which is standard procedure after a police shooting.
stacia.glenn@ thenewstribune.com
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