A Poulsbo man could still face charges in a shooting death, following a multi-car collision and shooting in August, when he defended his home from another man attempting to break in.
The Kitsap County Prosecutors Office is still reviewing the case to see if any criminal charges should be filed.
The incident occurred along Viking Way at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 2. The sheriff’s office responded to a multi-car collision that turned into an attempted burglary and resulted in the death of a suspect.
According to investigation documents and recordings obtained by the North Kitsap Herald, a man identified as Eric Rose, 28, of Auburn was driving a black Jeep Patriot erratically and well over 100 mph southbound on Viking Way and eventually crashed into several vehicles along the 18000 block.
No one was seriously injured, according to documents, although there were EMS and life-flight on standby.
Several witnesses reported seeing Rose take off running after he crashed his Jeep; some even made attempts to make contact with him, along with making contact with others involved in the collision.
Rose took off toward a home where he hid in bushes and behind trees. The homeowner, Joshua Johnson, 27, a former U.S. Marine, told deputies that he attempted to make contact with Rose, who yelled at Johnson to stop looking at him. Rose took off running again, before coming back and trying to break into the home while Johnson’s wife was on the phone with dispatch.
“The man is now trying to get inside my house. He’s trying to force entry into our garage now,” she said.
Johnson, along with another witness from the collision, Dennis Higgins, attempted to make contact with Rose again when he began throwing things at them and yelling at them to shoot him.
Higgins told deputies that he heard Johnson warn Rose at least three times before Rose allegedly charged at Johnson, who shot three times into Rose’s chest.
Deputy John Bass was first on the scene and found Johnson had unloaded his gun and tossed it away from himself and was kneeling in the grass with his hands up to show he was unarmed. A plainclothes EMT attempted to aid Rose, who died at the scene.
It is unknown if Rose was under the influence of alcohol or drugs as investigators are still awaiting a toxicology report.
Investigators did receive a search warrant to search Rose’s vehicle ,where they found empty beer cans and liquor bottles as well as bottles of prescription drugs and Rose’s wallet.
A video of the incident shows Rose attempting to buy alcohol at the Red Apple in Poulsbo and becoming argumentative with the checker and manager. The argument was over showing them his identification and then being asked to leave after the transaction was declined. The footage takes place before the accident and Rose’s death.
