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(PCSD) deputies said a good Samaritan hoping to see the northern lights ended up shot by the people he was offering to help.

It happened Monday night just after 10 p.m. on Highway 410 near the town of Greenwater. The man pulled off the highway and saw a car on the side of the road. He stopped to see if they needed any help.

“He was out star gazing, checking on them, said ‘Are you OK?'” PCSD’s Sgt. Darren Moss, Jr. told ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Newsradio. “They said, ‘Get out of here’ and cursed him out. So, he does just that, turns around and gets back on Highway 410 and all of a sudden that car is behind him and they start shooting at him. The victim was struck by the gunfire. He was on the phone with 911 trying to report they were chasing him and shooting at him when he was struck.”

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The man wasn’t seriously injured and was able to give 911 dispatchers a description of the vehicle. Responding deputies spotted the vehicle and a pursuit began.

“Deputies initiated a pursuit because it was a shooting,” Moss said. “We had an injured victim. This was a felony assault with a firearm, so they were granted permission by the supervisor to pursue that vehicle.”

The pursuit stretched into Enumclaw. The driver lost control and rolled the car onto its roof in a ditch near 264th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 416th Street.

Pursuit ends with suspect vehicle flipped on its roof. Pierce County Deputies say the occupants shot a man who offered them help on the side of the road.

— James L. (@James_³ÉÈËXÕ¾Radio)

Deputies arrested the 20-year-old woman driver, two 19-year-old women and a 22-year-old man. The man was more severely injured and was airlifted to the hospital.

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Deputies said alcohol was a likely factor, but they still don’t know what led the group to shoot the driver.

Because it happened on State Highway 410, the case has been transferred to the Washington State Patrol for investigation.

James Lynch is a reporter at ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Newsradio. You can read more of James’ stories here. Follow James on , or email him here.