Report: Seattle Homeless Man Calls 911 During Police Pursuit, Declares Chase ‘Illegal’

A woman called 911 to report her friend had been taken hostage by a Seattle, Washington, vagrant. When police pursued the suspect’s car, he got on the phone with a 911 dispatcher, declaring that the chase was illegal due to a 2021 law passed by state Democrats and pleading to call off the pursuit, according to a report.

Isaac Sissel, 23, and an unidentified 19-year-old woman had been living out of his car for two weeks after meeting weeks earlier, KTTH’s the Jason Rantz Show reported, citing an arrest report from the Seattle Police Department (SPD). Sissel was allegedly abusive to the woman, who, according to police, later claimed he threatened to kill her daily.

In the early morning of May 9, a friend of the 19-year-old called 911 and reported that Sissel took the “girl in his car and her cat hostage,” according to audio from the call obtained by the Jason Rantz Show. She added that Sissel was a felon who was riding around in a stolen car, had a knife, and was possibly in possession of a gun, claiming he boasted of having one the last time they were with each other, according to KTTH.

Police arrived at the Grand Army Cemetery in the 1200 block of East Howe Street, and officers found the suspect and victim, but Sissel allegedly took off with the 19-year-old in the vehicle after seeing emergency lights, per the outlet. Officers gave chase and, in a police report, later stated that a 911 call soon came in from the victim, though Rantz noted Sissel did most of the talking.

“It is an illegal pursuit and my license is suspended, and this is an illegal pursuit … They’re not supposed to be able to pursue,” Sissel declared, per KTTH. He further begged the dispatcher to put an end to the chase and seemingly referenced a 2021 law in Washington State that restricted officers’ ability to pursue suspects in car chases. Sissel was eventually taken into custody after spike strips were laid down and the vehicle was stopped.

The Democrat-championed legislation, House Bill 1054, took effect last July and prohibits officers from pursuing suspects in vehicle chases unless there is probable cause that a person committed a violent or sex offense or there is reasonable suspicion the motorist is driving under the influence. The law further restricts an officer’s ability to use tear gas as well as military equipment. Rantz noted that circumstances surrounding the friend’s 911 call qualified the officers’ pursuit of the vehicle.

After speaking with the victim, officers wrote in their report that she asserted Sissel “threatens to kill her approximately 10 times a day.” She also produced cell phone recordings in which Sissel allegedly said he valued his vehicle more than her life.

Online inmate records show he was charged with harassment and attempting to elude police, and his bail has been set at $30,000.