Remember Nicholas Broughton, who crashed a stolen car through a fence near a relative’s home in The Junction back in January? Just days after he struck a plea bargain in that case and an earlier identity-theft case, it’s confirmed that he is the man police were looking for last night in the 35th/Myrtle area. Washington’s Most Wanted reports that Broughton, 33, and girlfriend Jennifer Lasky were the targets of the search. She was arrested and is in jail in connection with a $3,000 Pierce County warrant (for failure to appear in court in connection with a driving-with-suspended-license charge). He is still on the run.
Online records show Broughton was in court just last week to plead guilty to reduced charges in the two cases facing him. The first case involves that January night when he drove an SUV, stolen from Tacoma, through a fence near a relative’s home southwest of The Junction. The vehicle had come to police’s attention because it was equipped with LoJack. When charges were filed, Broughton was described as “an 11-time felon.”
Two weeks later, a judge let him out on bail; just weeks after that, Broughton was charged in a separate case, accused of identity theft related to credit/debit cards stolen in multiple car prowls, with at least one West Seattle victim.
After a failure to appear in court, a warrant was issued for him, and Broughton was re-arrested. He was in jail until mid-July, and was scheduled to go on trial this week, but the trial was canceled when he struck a plea bargain involving both aforementioned cases, and a reduction of charges. Documents show he was in court last Friday related to that, pleading guilty to the reduced charges – two counts of second-degree identity theft, one each of hit-and-run and possession of a stolen vehicle (a lesser charge than auto theft). The plea bargain also included a charge of criminal trespass, but documents say that is to be dismissed at his sentencing, which is scheduled for September 26th. It’s too soon to say how/whether this latest skirmish with police will affect that case. Meantime, WMW says there’s a reward out for him, and you can call 911 or 800-222-TIPS if you have information.
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