Carjacking Ends In Bizarre Death

KOMO4NEWS (SEATTLE) ^ | January 17, 2004 | April Zepeda

[scooter2]

SEATTLE - A suspected carjacker jumped onto Interstate 5 Saturday morning in an attempt to escape the police. It was a deadly move.

Police suspected the man of an armed carjacking about a mile and half away from where he jumped to his death. The King County Medical Examiner's office identified the man as Sophaly Plenh, 20, of Seattle.

A car chase began soon after police spotted the car near the Swift Albro overpass. Officers rammed the car with a police cruiser.

"There was a short struggle and the individual jumped off the bridge to elude the officers," said Assistant Police Chief, Harry Bailey.

Plenh stunned police by jumping off the overpass - and landing on southbound I-5 below. He was hit by several cars and died at the scene.

"It's absolutely moronic if you ask me. It's moronic to carjack someone in the first place and to jump into traffic, even stupider," said resident, Brian Moore.

Neighbors near the accident tried to imagine the frightening moments for drivers who were suddenly faced with a man falling in front of their cars. At the same time they wondered what the suspect could have been thinking when he did it.

Police temporarily closed most southbound lanes of the interstate as they investigated. The highway reopened about three hours later.

Police say the driver who was carjacked wasn't hurt. They insist Plenh wouldn't have been hurt either - if he would have listened to officers. In fact, one officer even tried to stop him from jumping.

"The officer just got to him before he jumped and tried to get a piece of clothing or something, but was unable to," said Bailey.

[scooter2]

Can you believe how utterly stupid some people can be?

[Bikers4Bush]

Good, money saved on a trial and incarcerating him.

[JimRed]

Darwin strikes again!

[breakem]

another happy ending makes the victim happy and saves the taxpayers money. win-win

[mad puppy]

An early Darwin Awards candidate.

The gene pool applauds.

[FormerLib]

You think that's stupid? You haven't seen anything yet!

Wait until some leftist cry-baby starts alleging that no one would have willingly jumped off the bridge into traffic...which means the police made him do it!

Too stupid to be true? We can hope so but you just never know.

[Luke Skyfreeper]

I believe we have a winner!

[Texican72]

Seems we lost another likely Democrat vote

[joesnuffy]

Sophaly Plenh

Dang Irish car jackers...strike again

[blackdog]

Witnesses please? Or are they being held for questioning on the same busy overpass? And if someone carjacks my vehicle and calling it in to the police gets it rammed by police cruisers, I think I'll just call a few hours later thank you.

I know there are goofy folk out there but this one is a stretch.

[from occupied ga]

Seems we lost another likely Democrat vote

Not at all. Death is not a disqualification for voting the Democrat ticket. My father has been dead for 30 years and has voted the straight Democratic ticket every election since.

[martin_fierro]

Plenh

That was also the sound he made when he hit the pavement.

[StatesEnemy]

Neighbors near the accident tried to imagine the frightening moments for drivers who were suddenly faced with a man falling in front of their cars.

Anyone remember McCauley Caulkin in "The Good Son" with Highway Man

[Destructor]

That's a good carjacker! Good and dead!!

[cynicom]

Deduct one more more from that list.

[Hank Rearden]

"The officer just got to him before he jumped and tried to get a piece of clothing or something, but was unable to,"

Thank goodness for small favors.

[FreedomAvatar]

Yet another example of operant conditioning. Our learned carjacker has learned not to carjack anymore.

BF Skinner would be proud.

[blackdog]

A DNC pollster I bet. He took the easy way out......

[Skibane]

Strange – Just a week ago, a shoplifter met a similar fate here in San Antonio.

[nobody_knows]

I figure he's off this list now... http://www.crimestoppers-ps.com/fugitives.htm