Man Accused of Machete Bus Attack in Seattle Escapes Home Detention, Sparking Manhunt

A palpable sense of unease is spreading through Seattle as Daniel Couch, a man previously accused of a terrifying machete attack on a public bus, has now vanished from electronic home detention. The 30-year-old, whose alleged actions caused widespread alarm just a few months ago, is officially considered a "walk away" and "escapee" by authorities, with an active arrest warrant now in effect.

Let's cast our minds back to July 2026 for a moment. That's when Couch allegedly attempted to board a King County Metro bus in the city's Chinatown International District, near 4th Avenue South and Jackson Street. The driver, sharp and vigilant, actually recognized Couch from a previous, similarly unsettling incident — one where another bus window had been damaged just a month prior. When the driver, understandably, refused him entry, things reportedly escalated dramatically. Couch is accused of then using a machete to brutally smash the bus's windows and even its windshield, a truly frightening scene for anyone on board or nearby.

Following that harrowing incident, Couch was initially booked into the King County Correctional Facility. However, as is sometimes the case in our justice system, he was later moved to Electronic Home Detention (EHD) so he could receive treatment at the Sea Mar Turning Point Treatment Center. Now, it wasn't a completely smooth process; at one point, he was actually removed from the program due to a violation. But by September, prosecutors, perhaps hoping for a different outcome, sought his return to the treatment center, ensuring he was equipped with a GPS monitoring device.

Fast forward to Saturday, October 10, 2026. This is where the system, unfortunately, broke down. Sea Mar staff discharged Couch from the treatment center. His GPS device, for a short while, indicated he was heading towards a home in South Seattle, his designated location. But then, it showed him walking away, seemingly ignoring a caseworker's instructions. Crucially, he never reported back to jail as he was supposed to. Just a few days later, on October 13th and 14th, news reports began confirming his escape and the warrant issued by the King County Prosecutor's Office.

And here's why this is such a significant concern: Daniel Couch is not unfamiliar with the legal system, nor with evading it. Since 2015 alone, he has accumulated a staggering 44 arrest warrants for failing to appear in court. Beyond that, his record includes prior convictions for assault and weapons-related charges. While he's pleaded not guilty to the malicious mischief charge tied to the recent bus attack, his history certainly paints a picture of a man who poses a considerable risk to public safety.

The authorities are, of course, taking this extremely seriously. The Deputy Director for Adult and Juvenile Detention has publicly confirmed Couch's status as an "escapee," and the King County Prosecutor's Office is relentless in its efforts to bring him back into custody. For now, a community is left hoping for his swift apprehension, understandably anxious with an individual deemed dangerous at large.