POLICE LOG ‘Playing opossum’

Bremerton Police responded to a call regarding an argument between a mother and her 16-year-old daughter in the 1800 block of East 31st Street in Bremerton shortly before noon Feb. 22.

The mother said her daughter is a runaway and returned home that day. She also had a warrant for her arrest.

An officer put the teen in handcuffs and led her outside to a police vehicle. She refused to sit in the car. Once inside the vehicle, she began yelling and screaming, saying she couldn’t breath and was claustrophobic.

An officer rolled down a window and turned on the air conditioning. He tried to talk to the teen, but she was not responding. She appeared to be unconscious, but breathing.

Medical aid arrived and examined the girl. They said she was “playing opossum” and was perfectly fine. She was transported to Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton for evaluation.

A few hours later, officers went to Harrison to pick up the teen and take her to juvenile detention. The nurses said she was “going to be trouble.” Hospital security physically restrained the girl, who was screaming and crying. Hospital staff said she was fine, just acting out because she didn’t want to go to juvenile detention.

Once inside the police car, she said she was dizzy and needed air. An officer rolled a window halfway down. The girl slipped out of the handcuffs, reached outside the vehicle, opened the door and jumped out of the car at the intersection of Burwell Street and Montgomery Avenue in Bremerton.

Officers began to chase her on foot and she was eventually apprehended at Montgomery Avenue and Sixth Street.

The girl was booked into juvenile hall for warrants and third-degree escape. Bail is set at $250.

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