Yet another suspect on Whidbey Island is facing charges for leading police on a potentially dangerous pursuit this year, according to court documents.

Ronald B. Millado, a 45-year-old Oak Harbor resident, escaped following a high-speed chase through the city on May 11 during which he extended his arm out the window and wagged his index finger at police, according to a report by a deputy with the Island County Sheriff’s Office.

The deputy stopped the pursuit for safety reasons, and Millado drove off. While deputies did not arrest him at the time, Millado was recognized and now faces charges, according to police.

Statistics from the Island County Sheriff’s Office show that the number of attempts to elude or failure to stop cases in the county steadily increased from 2021, which was the year the state Legislature passed a law that put limits on the ability of law enforcement to chase down suspects.

While statewide statistics suggested the law was successful in reducing the number of fatalities during pursuits, it had the unintended consequence of increasing the number of car thefts as well as fleeing suspects. A new law that went into effect this summer gives police more leeway in pursuing suspects.

It’s too early to say what the change will mean for the roads on Whidbey Island.

The Island County Sheriff’s Office statistics for attempting to elude and failure to stop cases don’t include those that were “coded” for a different crime — such as assault — after an arrest, so the actual number of chases are likely higher.

The sheriff’s office reports that deputies handled eight attempts to elude and failure to stop cases in 2021, with one resulting in a physical arrest at the scene. The number increased each year to 16 cases in 2023, with one physical arrest.

The cases this year have been more serious and may potentially be more numerous. There have been 12 attempting to elude and failure to yield stops cases so far, with four physical arrests at the scene. The prosecutor’s office reported that it received 10 referrals for felony attempting to elude cases this year.

In the Millado case, a deputy was patrolling at just after 7 p.m. when he saw an SUV traveling at a “very high rate of speed” south on Highway 20 at the intersection with Ault Field Road. The vehicle passed several vehicles in the middle of the intersection, traveling partially in the oncoming lane and earning honks from other drivers, the deputy wrote in a report.

The deputy did a U-turn and chased after the vehicle, which turned onto Regatta Drive and continued to pass other cars, nearly causing a collision. The deputy caught up near the intersection with Crescent Harbor Road. The driver, later identified as Millado, stuck his arm out the driver’s side window and waved his index finger in a pantomime of “oh no you don’t.”

Millado slammed on his breaks and turned onto Northeast Sixth Avenue so suddenly that the rear wheels left the roadway, the report states. He turned on Northeast Seventh Avenue, went through the Smoke Shop Parking lot, then back onto Seventh Avenue and onto the highway. After the SUV again accelerated to a high rate of speed, the deputy broke off the pursuit out of fear that Millado would go through a red light and cause a collision.

The deputy followed behind and later saw Millado leaving an apartment to get back into the car. Another deputy drove up to Millado’s car in the parking lot, but Millado accelerated at the patrol car, nearly ramming the passenger side door, according to the report. Millado sped away with his arm out the window, waving his finger.

Prosecutors charged Millado in Island County Superior Court July 17 with attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle and reckless driving. If convicted of the charges, he could face up to 364 days in jail under the standard sentencing range.

Millado was summoned to appear in court Aug. 5.