A Cowlitz County jury has convicted a Woodland resident of Attempting to Elude a Pursuing Police Vehicle and third‑degree Driving While License Suspended following a two‑day trial arising from an incident in early January.

According to a statement from the Cowlitz County Prosecutor’s Office, the case began on January 4 when a former girlfriend of 35‑year‑old Scott Cartier called 911 to report that Cartier was chasing her in a vehicle on Lewis River Road in Woodland. Prosecutors stated that when deputies located Cartier and attempted a traffic stop, he accelerated to approximately 90 miles per hour and swerved into the oncoming lane while traveling on Lewis River Road.

Deputies ultimately apprehended Cartier and booked him into the Cowlitz County Jail. According to reporting by Classic Hits 100.7 KLOG, jurors also found that Cartier endangered at least one person other than himself during the incident.

Cartier is scheduled for sentencing on March 11, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.

Why this matters

Lewis River Road is a major connector for Woodland-area residents, and high‑speed eluding cases raise ongoing concerns about public safety on rural corridors with limited visibility and constrained shoulders. The conviction reflects how local prosecutors and juries are responding to dangerous driving incidents that pose risks not only to those directly involved but also to other motorists and nearby communities.

Sources

Cowlitz County Prosecutor’s Office statement.
Classic Hits 100.7 KLOG: Woodland Man Found Guilty of Eluding Police