Prosecutors File 6 Felony Charges After Bellevue Attack, Chase

BELLEVUE, WA — The King County Prosecutor's Office has filed six felony charges against Aric Knapik, the man suspected of attacking an ex-girlfriend at her Bellevue apartment before leading officers on a chase through Renton and Seattle. Charging documents filed Thursday afternoon outline a pattern of violence and a harrowing series of events in both cities.

"The facts of this case showcase what determined domestic violence looks like as well as reckless violence against our community at large," the filing reads in part.

Prosecutors say Knapik stole his ex-girlfriend's car keys, house keys, and phone during an incident in Seattle earlier in the week where she was also stabbed. On Wednesday morning, court documents say, the woman asked a maintenance worker at her Bellevue apartment to help her get inside, so she could grab some belongings and take a shower. She also asked for her locks to be changed. Before that could be finished, Knapik arrived, entered her apartment, broke down the bathroom door and strangled her almost to the point of unconsciousness.

According to prosecutors, Knapik tried to abduct her, but she escaped and ran outside, yelling to the maintenance worker for help. Knapik hopped in his Jeep and attempted to run them over, instead crashing into the apartment's office. Police arrived on scene as that happened and spotted him fleeing the scene. That began a high speed pursuit that would take officers from multiple agencies all the way through Renton and into Seattle.

A dispatch center in Seattle said Knapik called 911 during the chase and threatened to run over people on the sidewalk if police did not stop chasing him. According to a Seattle police report, Knapik lost control of the Jeep after popping a tire and blowing his transmission. The report says he then approached the driver of a minivan, put him in a chokehold and tried to carjack the vehicle. Officers were able to physically remove him and arrested him near Rainier Ave South and 23rd Avenue South.

Detectives say Knapik told them in an interview that he woke up with a plan to die and had been smoking meth all morning. Several warrants were out for his arrest at the time of the chase, including one for failing to appear at an October 1st domestic violence hearing involving the same victim.

The prosecutor's office requested $2 million bail, citing three active restraining orders and a dozen previous domestic violence convictions. A judge granted the amount and scheduled an arraignment hearing for October 22nd. Knapik faces six felony counts, with charges that include assault, attempted robbery, and attempting to elude police.