By Tim Clifford

The manhunt for Kevin M. Vaughn, the 26-year-old biker believed to have ambushed and fired upon police officers in Tukwila in August, was ended last week in Lynnwood. Police arrested Vaughn on Oct.15 and booked him into the King County Jail with a bail amount set to $321,000. His first arraignment hearing was set for Oct. 22 but was subsequently postponed until Oct. 26. An arraignment hearing for an attempting to elude charge from Sept. 22 will be held on Oct. 29. A possible trial date is currently set for Nov. 3.

Vaughn has made a name for himself with his lengthy criminal record, being described by Tukwila PD as a “prolific auto thief”, and has gained notoriety for the “Hatred” tattoo that scrolls across his forehead. Since 2007 there have been over 20 warrants out for his arrest, four of which were active when he was taken into custody on Oct. 15.

For months police have been searching for Vaughn in connection to a number of burglaries and auto thefts throughout King County. In April Tukwila Police were contacted by a Renton man who explained that his Yamaha R1 motorcycle had been stolen from his condo’s parking lot. Though the man initially reported it to Renton PD he had tracked the motorcycle to the 14900 block of 51st Ave. S. using a “Find it Now” GPS that he had had the dealership install on his bike.

While police scrambled to get a search warrant to visit the addresses that were being pinged by the GPS they received a call from a Baker’s Commodities reporting that two men had just dumped a stripped Yamaha R1 in their driveway. Fingerprints lifted from the motorcycle were positively matched to Vaughn (he apparently pushed the bike on its windshield to get into a van).

In the charging documents it is noted that five separate addresses on the 14900 block of 51st Ave. S. make up the compound for the Resurrection Outlaw Motorcycle Gang and lists Kevin Vaughn as being potentially affiliated with the club.

On Aug. 27 Tukwila PD executed a search warrant on a home in the 14900 block of 51st Ave. S., a home described in charging documents as a known refuge for the Resurrection Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, with Vaughn listed as the subject of interest. As officers were standing outside two men on motorcycles pulled off to the shoulder on I-5 along the off-ramp to gain a vantage point above the home. The two riders pulled out handguns and fired an estimated 13 rounds at the officers outside before speeding away south on I-5. Immediately it was supposed that Vaughn was one of these riders and that he had been tipped off by those inside the residence.

After the Highline Times ran a story on Vaughn and this incident we were contacted by a lawyer with Meyers & Fox, P.L.L.C. claiming to represent the Resurrection Motorcycle club and asking us to retract any comments therein linking Vaughn with them. Other publications and news stations, including the Seattle Times and Q13, received similar letters from this firm following coverage of this incident. On Oct. 7 we ran a story explaining the contents of this letter and restating their claim that Vaughn is not associated with the club and may in fact have stolen from its members.

“Resurrection Motorcycle Club condemns violence toward law enforcement and the conduct of the motorcyclists who shot at the Tukwila Police Officers. Any statements that Mr. Vaughn is a member of Resurrection or a member of Resurrection or associated with the club puts the members of Resurrection in danger and need to be formally retracted right away for both accuracy and safety reasons,” stated the letter.

Strangely, according to charging documents, once the warrant was finally served and a search of the home conducted police discovered a room with items and “documents of dominion” belonging to Vaughn. In this room was a bed with the word “Resurrection” painted above it on the wall. Motorcycles on the property also bore “Resurrection” painted on their gas tanks.

On Sept. 22 Tukwila detectives were contacted with information that Vaughn had been spotted entering one of the five addresses associated with the Resurrection Motorcycle Club. He was recognized and positively identified by his “Hatred” tattoo. Officers moved in to arrest Vaughn when he was spotted traveling in the wrong direction down 42nd Ave. S. in an orange Mustang. A chase ensued with the two vehicles reaching speeds over 100 mph and involving running through stop lights and stop signs. The chase ended when the police vehicle collided with another car.
It has been reported by police and other news outlets that the orange Mustang Vaughn was driving belonged to 28-year-old Erin Narte, a woman from Granite Falls who was killed in a motorcycle accident on I-5 early in the morning on Sept. 29. In that incident Narte and another unknown rider were speeding down I-5 at speeds in excess of 100 mph when Narte collided with Toyota and was thrown from the bike. The motorcycle skidded to a stop about 100 feet from the accident and then burst into flames. The motorcycle Narte was riding had been reported stolen in June.

The second rider turned around and checked on Narte briefly before speeding away to elude police. In the charging documents it is noted that Narte and Vaughn were known associates.

Vaughn currently has 12 felony convictions and numerous misdemeanors. His crimes include car theft, burglary, assault, convictions for eluding and possession of stolen property. His earliest listed offense is a 2003 conviction for bringing a dangerous weapon onto school premises.