Suspect in custody following high-speed chase near Rexburg
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REXBURG – A man is in custody on multiple charges after allegedly leading police on a high-speed chase near Rexburg Sunday evening.
It began around 5:30 p.m. near South 5th West, according to a Facebook post from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office Monday afternoon. The suspect, whom authorities do not name, was reportedly stalking his ex-girlfriend. Police say he followed her home and watched from his vehicle for a while.
The suspect wasn’t there when police arrived, but they later determined he had an active arrest warrant for three different felony charges with nationwide extradition.
Officers kept a lookout and saw him return around 7:45 p.m. The suspect turned around and left when he saw police.
Three Rexburg police officers followed him and tried pulling him over. He continued south on Pioneer Road.
“Due to the suspect’s dangerous driving behavior, officers began to slow down and create distance to mitigate the risk to the public,” the post from Madison County Sheriff’s Office says. “As the suspect continued southbound, the pursuit left the Rexburg city limits. Madison County deputies began to assist.”
At 5000 South, the suspect allegedly merged onto U.S. Highway 20 at the Thornton exit near milepost 328.
Officers tried to stop him by boxing in his vehicle.
“Unfortunately, the suspect was able to make a u-turn and cut across the median, now going northbound on Highway 20. At this point, the suspect appeared to try to go into oncoming traffic, attempting to go northbound into the southbound lanes. Deputies blocked him and funneled him back to the correct side of the road,” deputies report.
The suspect reportedly rammed a police car.
Officers eventually got him to stop through a PIT maneuver on the northbound side of the off ramp of the Thornton exit.
Authorities pinned in the vehicle and arrested the suspect. A local hospital cleared him to be taken to the Madison County Jail. In addition to the felony warrants, he was charged with eluding (felony) and stalking in the second degree (misdemeanor).
“We’re thankful to our partners at the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, as well as Idaho State Police, for responding and assisting us on this call,” Rexburg Police say.