Name of suspect, additional details released about police pursuit
Published at | Updated at
UPDATE 4:40 p.m.
The following is a news release from the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office:
Over the past two days, Bonneville County Sheriff deputies and Idaho Falls Police officers had been searching for 32- year-old Tomas A. Espinoza as he was linked to several vehicle thefts where he eluded officers and crashed or abandoned the stolen vehicles.
This morning Idaho Falls Police officers took a report that Espinoza had stolen a white Ford Pickup that contained two firearms, as well as a false report of a body near the area the Ford was taken from.
Information on Espinoza was that over the course of 2 days and nights he had been seen at several businesses and residences in Idaho Falls and Bonneville County acting strangely and possibly delusional and also had a felony warrant for his arrest relating to a previous drug conviction.
At approximately 12:50 this afternoon, dispatch received a report that a male and vehicle matching the description of Espinoza and the stolen Ford was seen in the area of 175th E. East of the Ririe area pulling in and out of driveways and acting strangely.
Bonneville County Deputies and Idaho Falls Police Officers responded to the area and also notified the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the Idaho State Police.
A short while later, Jefferson County dispatch received a call in the area of 4400 E. and 300 N. of a male and vehicle matching Espinoza’s description again pulling in and out of driveways and acting suspiciously. Officers responded to that area where Espinoza was located driving the stolen Ford by a Jefferson County Deputy and an Idaho State Police Trooper.
Espinoza eluded officers at that time by driving through private property and fields before coming back out to 300 N. (Hwy 48).
Officers from multiple agencies pursued Espinoza as he turned back into Bonneville County to Hwy 26 and then over 115th E. to the Blacktail Rd.
Bonneville County Deputies were able to deploy spike strips on the Blacktail Rd. just prior to the Bone road which were effective in deflating at least two tires on the vehicle.
Espinoza continued on Lincoln Rd. where he lost control of the vehicle trying to turn onto Foothill Rd. Espinoza then fled on foot but was quickly apprehended and taken into custody.
Espinoza was booked into the Bonneville County Jail on his felony warrant and felony eluding and further charges are pending.
ORIGINAL STORY
BONNEVILLE COUNTY — A man suspected in multiple vehicle thefts was arrested after a police pursuit that ended in a pickup crashing in Bonneville County on Wednesday afternoon.
The pursuit began in Jefferson County. Multiple local, state and federal law enforcement agencies were involved, including Madison, Jefferson and Bonneville counties, Idaho Falls police, Idaho State Police, and the U.S. Forest Service.
Spike strips were set to stop the pickup.
The suspect lost control and crashed through a yard at Lincoln and Foothill in Bonneville County around 2:30 p.m.
He got out of the pickup and was apprehended after running on foot.
Authorities said they have been looking for this individual for some time. The pickup he had been driving was stolen earlier Wednesday, Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Bryan Lovell said. He said authorities used extra caution because two firearms were inside the pickup when it was stolen.
Lovell said law enforcement have been pursuing the suspect multiple times in the last few days. The most recent chase was Tuesday night, but the suspect got away after abandoning a vehicle in an alleyway, Lovell said.
The suspect’s name has not been released.
We will update this story with more information as it becomes available.