Montana man charged following high-speed chase during which he allegedly tried to ram officer
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POCATELLO — A Montana man police say attempted to crash into a Bannock County deputy’s cruiser before leading a high-speed chase has been charged with multiple felonies.
Hjalmar Bombeck, 43, has been charged with felonies for aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and eluding an officer and a misdemeanor for reckless driving in Bannock County, court records show. Additionally, he has been charged with a felony for eluding an officer and misdemeanors for reckless driving, failure to report an accident, resisting arrest, and driving under the influence in Bingham County.
While patrolling northbound Interstate 15 on Jan. 27, a Bannock County Sheriff’s deputy saw a white Chevrolet Suburban driving at “fluctuating” speeds — between 70 and 90 mph — near mile marker 78, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
When the Chevy got close enough to the deputy’s cruiser to identify it, the Chevy “gained in speed drastically.” The deputy clocked the vehicle at 92 mph, and it was speeding up.
As it neared the cruiser, the Chevy swerved toward the cruiser, “trying to hit me,” the affidavit says, forcing the deputy to jam on their brakes and cross over the rumble strip onto the shoulder.
The deputy requested backup to pursue the speeding vehicle.
According to the affidavit, the Chevy continued at fluctuating speeds — between 65 and 90 mph — as it fled. More than once, the Chevy pulled alongside other vehicles and hit its brakes while turning toward other vehicles, which were traveling at speeds of 70-plus mph.
“Each vehicle had to evasively maneuver themselves to not be struck,” according to police reports.
Deputies discontinued their pursuit while continuing to trail the Chevy. With lights and sirens off, deputies saw the Chevy crash into several vehicles.
Court documents do not give details on injuries sustained in the crash.
A short time later, Bingham County Sheriff’s deputies were able to stop the Chevy and arrest the driver, who was identified as Bombeck.
He was booked into Bannock County Jail and was released after posting separate bonds of $50,000 and $75,000 — in Bannock and Bingham counties, respectively.
Though Bombeck has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
If he is found guilty on all counts, Bombeck would face more than 20 years in prison.
He is scheduled to appear in court before Magistrate Judge David Penrod for a preliminary hearing on April 9.