Woman charged after ramming her SUV into IFPD patrol car
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IDAHO FALLS — A local woman will appear in court Friday after she rammed her SUV into an Idaho Falls Police patrol vehicle.
Tyra Castillo, 40, was arrested Dec. 7, after police received a phone call about a suspicious Dodge Durango hanging around the Applebee’s and Denny’s parking lots in Idaho Falls.
The caller said people would drive up to the Durango, exit their vehicle, get into the Durango for about 10 minutes then get back in their own car and drive off.
According to court documents, when police arrived and questioned the female driver of the Durango she said her name was Shelly L. Davis and her birth date was Feb. 18, 1981. She then said her middle initial was N and her birthdate Feb. 26, 1981. Police were able to identify the woman as Castillo, shortly after.
Police asked Castillo to step out of her vehicle and she then took off in the Durango as officers chased her down.
Documents show police pursued Castillo from Highway 20 to Saturn Ave. to W. Broadway back to Saturn Ave., and finally to the parking lot of an apartment complex on Vassar Way.
Police pulled up behind the Durango and activated their lights. That’s when Castillo put the Durango in reverse, according to documents, and rammed into the patrol car causing substantial damage. She pulled forward, rammed it again, then fled a short way down the road where she got out of the Durango and ran on foot.
Officers searched her vehicle and say they found a 9 mm handgun and a pill bottle containing a clear liquid that was later discovered to be 36.2 grams of methamphetamine. Documents show police also found a wallet with several financial transaction cards and drivers licenses that did not belong to Castillo.
Castillo was eventually located in a shed near Pancheri Drive and Skyline Drive where she was taken into custody. She has been charged with aggravated battery, drug-trafficking and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Castillo had two warrants in Bonneville County and one in Bannock County. She also has multiple drug and burglary convictions in Canyon, Bannock, Bingham and Ada counties.
She was booked into the Bonneville County Jail on $20,000 bond.