Burglary suspect arrested after allegedly leading police on high speed chase and running through a stranger’s home

POCATELLO – A 34-year-old man is facing felony charges after police say he sped away from them in a stolen car and ran through a stranger’s home to further avoid police.

Ronald Ray Hymas is charged with felonies for fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, felony fleeing while being pursued by law enforcement, and a misdemeanor for driving without privileges.

According to court documents, on Saturday, a Pocatello Police officer located a black Hyundai Elantra that was believed to be the suspect vehicle in a string of recent storage unit burglaries.

The officer says he recently recovered another car he believed the suspect also stole, inside of which multiple rifles, from multiple storage units, were found. The officer spotted the Hyundai driving southbound on South 4th Avenue, then turning westbound onto East Bonneville Street, then changing its route again, turning westbound onto East Whitman Street.

The Hyundai then began “slowing in a manner consistent with intentionally waiting for (the officer’s) patrol vehicle to pass.”

Once the officer passed the Hyundai, the car turned into a grocery store parking lot and was trying to “immediately exit from the same entrance it had just used.” Police reports say this showed the driver had “observed (the officer’s) patrol vehicle and was attempting to avoid contact with law enforcement.”

The Hyundai then began driving southbound, speeding across East Benton Street, prompting the officer to pursue it with lights and sirens.

Officers say the Hyundai continued speeding through residential neighborhoods, reaching speeds above 70 mph, before making a “sharp and fast eastbound turn” and crashing into the front of a home near the intersection of South 2nd Avenue and East Lawton Street.

The driver of the Hyundai, later identified as Hymas, got out of the car and reportedly ran from the scene. The officer began chasing him as he ran down an alley and jumped over a tall fence into a yard. The officer ran to the front of the home, where he saw the homeowner and Hymas on the front porch. The owner told police that Hymas had run through his house. The suspect then reportedly stated, “It wasn’t me.”

Hymas was asked by the officer to get on the ground, but reportedly refused. The officer eventually deployed his Taser twice until Hymas was incapacitated, and was able to be handcuffed. Court records say Hymas “remained tense and verbally uncooperative,” according to court documents.

Officers found a jacket belonging to Hymas along the path he had used to run from them, and reportedly found a Walmart gift card, a small white plastic container, a vape pen, and a red-and-white “Pokémon Ball.” During a search of his person, officers reportedly found lighters, keys, cash, and a small knife.

Hymas was then identified as the person of interest in the storage unit burglary investigation, and the Hyundai was reportedly found to be stolen.

Officers later spoke with a woman who lived in the home where the crash occurred. She stated that her back door was cracked open when Hymas entered and “walked all the way through” the house before exiting out the front door. Her husband reportedly told Hymas, “Due, what are you f****** doing in our house … I’m gonna beat you a** right now.” Hymas reportedly responded, “I know, I know”, before being pushed out the front door by the husband.

While Hymas’s injuries from the Taser were being looked at by EMS, he reportedly became “increasingly belligerent,” yelling, “Back to prison, boys! Wait to see me on the yard!” Hymas then reportedly “went limp and seemed like he would drop to the ground.” EMS and officers guided him to the ground and asked him if he was on any substances. Hymas stated he had smoked methamphetamine earlier that day.

As EMS was taking the Taser probes out of his arm and leg, he reportedly joked with the officer, saying, “Takes five shots to get down a crackhead” and “I got jokes in prison too.” He then told officers he was in pain due to his handcuffs being too tight, so they were loosened.

Hymas was then arrested and booked into the Bannock County Jail on a $25,000 bond. He is expected to appear for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 18. If convicted, he could face up to 10 and a half years in prison.