East Wenatchee man arrested after pursuit ends in SWAT standoff on State Route 97

BREWSTER —  A 38-year-old man from East Wenatchee, identified as Kamil Jelonek, was arrested Monday evening after a prolonged pursuit led to a tense standoff on State Route 97 involving the East Cascade SWAT team.

The episode unfolded when a Washington State Patrol (WSP) trooper stopped Jelonek, driving a 2000 Honda Accord on the 600 block of Main Street in Brewster around 7 p.m. The vehicle had previously evaded the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), with Jelonek wanted on several charges, including a domestic violence court order violation and an outstanding felony warrant for escape from community custody.

Upon the trooper's attempt to arrest him for signs of impairment, Jelonek fled south on State Route 97, igniting a 40-mile chase. The pursuit, involving multiple agencies, concluded near milepost 218 in Douglas County. Jelonek then armed himself with a knife and barricaded himself within his vehicle, prompting a call for specialized intervention.

At approximately 8:05 p.m., the Washington State Patrol requested assistance from the East Cascade SWAT team at the scene on Hwy 97 near milepost 218. Initial attempts at de-escalation by the responding officers were unsuccessful. Consequently, the East Cascade Crisis Negotiation team, alongside the SWAT team, was deployed as Jelonek remained defiant inside his car.

The standoff led to the closure of an approximately 4-mile section of Highway 97 near milepost 218, disrupting traffic. At around 10:46 p.m., SWAT team members successfully disarmed Jelonek using a less lethal 40 mm launcher to knock the knife from his hand. Following the use of additional, less lethal tools, Jelonek was taken into custody at 10:53 p.m.

After a medical evaluation, Jelonek was handed over to the Washington State Patrol. He faces charges of felony eluding, driving under the influence (DUI), malicious mischief, resisting arrest, and the initial warrants for escape from community custody and the domestic violence court order violation. The roadway was reopened after approximately four and a half hours of closure due to the incident.