I-90 Shutdown After Explosive Device Discovery

Interstate 90 near Mercer Island was shut down for several hours on October 12, 2024, due to a police chase involving a stolen black Mercedes, which resulted in the discovery of explosive devices. The incident began when Bellevue police attempted to stop the vehicle, leading to a slow-speed chase on I-90. The driver, after being stopped, attempted to ignite an explosive device, prompting police to tackle and arrest him. A bomb squad was called, and two suspects were detained, with additional explosive devices found in the vehicle. Traffic was severely disrupted, with both directions of the freeway closed for a period, but there was no ongoing threat to the public. The situation resulted in significant traffic delays but ended without any serious injuries.