A King County Sheriff’s helicopter hovered over Snoqualmie Wednesday evening, Sept. 1, joining Snoqualmie Tribal Police and sheriff’s K9 units on the ground during a search for a wanted man.

Snoqualmie Tribal Police Chief Randy Fletcher served warrant papers, which included a felony charge from Olympia, Wash., on a tribal member about 6 p.m. Wednesday at a residence at Reinig Road and 87th Avenue, which is in unincorporated King County.

“I surprised him,” said Fletcher. Both men glimpsed each other at a distance of about 20 feet, and then the wanted man fled into a heavily overgrown area nearby, outdistancing the policeman.

The search intensified that evening, as King County deputies responded with police dogs and a search-and-rescue helicopter. Using dogs, deputies captured the man before 8 p.m. He was taken to Seattle for booking.

Fletcher said the man had been wanted by police for some time.

“I considered him a flight risk, but not an imminent danger,” Fletcher said.