Man accused of assault and robbing pharmacy

A man who had eluded police in a car chase after allegedly stealing drugs from a Redmond pharmacy faced multiple charges Wednesday, including robbery and assault on a police officer.

Redmond police detectives arrested Joseph Escamilla, 32, on Friday at a Kirkland apartment complex in connection with a robbery last week at Lakeside Drugs, 15840 Redmond Way.

Escamilla was also charged with possession of a controlled substance and attempting to elude police.

According to charging papers, Escamilla gave a note to a pharmacist at Lakeside Drugs on Dec. 27 and said he had a gun and wanted Xanax, a drug used to treat anxiety and panic disorders.

After pharmacists had difficulty reading his writing, Escamilla pushed past them, grabbed a bottle of Lorazepam, also an anti-anxiety drug, and ran out of the store, according to charging papers.

He sped away in a white Dodge Caravan, Redmond police said; they spotted the van and followed it onto Highway 520. Police attempted to pull the van over, but the driver exited onto 148th Avenue Northeast, hit three occupied cars and crashed into a fence at the Bellevue Aquatic Center, the papers say.

Escamilla ran away, and the van was impounded for evidence, court records say. After obtaining a search warrant, police found records in the van indicating where Escamilla was living.

Police had been watching the apartment, in the 13200 block of Northeast 123rd Street in Kirkland, and spotted Escamilla walking toward it at 7:30 p.m. Friday, according to the charging papers.

Police said they ordered him to stop, but Escamilla ran. He then allegedly turned and charged an officer, trying to grab his gun, before the officer wrestled Escamilla to the ground, according to the charging papers.

Rachael Tuinstra: 206-515-5637 or rtuinstra@seattletimes.com