Man arrested after crashing into parked cars during police chase
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IDAHO FALLS — A 38-year-old man was arrested and charged with multiple felonies after he crashed into two parked cars while trying to speed away from officers.
Shane Alma Richins is charged with felonies for two counts of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer in a motor vehicle, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a controlled substance, and misdemeanors for use or possession of drug paraphernalia, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance.
Richins currently has two other active cases regarding charges for felony eluding an officer in a motor vehicle and first-degree stalking.
He has been appointed a public defender. The Idaho State Public Defender’s Office does not comment on active cases.
According to court documents, on June 15, around 2 a.m., an Idaho Falls Police officer was dispatched to the area of Sunnyside Road and South 25th East to assist another officer with finding a gray Ford Fusion, reportedly driven by Richins, who had sped away from officers.
Officers write that Richins had eluded them by speeding away multiple times over the previous few months. Richins reportedly had a warrant out for his arrest because of this.
Officers followed Richins to an address on Mojave Street, where he reportedly stopped, before driving northbound on Santalema Drive.
The officer then lost the car near East 12th Street and Spratt Avenue because it was “driving very quickly and taking sporadic and fast turns.”
The officer soon found the car again at the corner of Holmes Avenue and 8th Street, where the Richins reportedly approached an intersection before turning off all of the car’s lights and “accelerating to a high rate of speed.”
Richins allegedly sped through multiple stop signs, apparently to get away from the officer.
The officer continued to follow the car as it sped between 70 and 100 mph. Eventually, the officer again lost sight of the car and discontinued the pursuit.
Continuing to look for Richins in the area, the officer eventually noticed a car parked on the east side of Vernon Avenue that appeared to be Richins’ car.
As the officer attempted to turn around and park behind the car, Richins reportedly sped off, attempting to turn around 180 degrees to point south, but the rear tires lost traction and “fishtailed” before losing control and reportedly hitting two parked cars.
The officer was able to park on the other side of Richins’ car, pinning it between the cars he reportedly hit. As the officer got out of his patrol car, Richins reportedly rolled down his window and placed both hands outside.
Richins told the officer that he had a handgun in a backpack in his car, according to the police report.
Court documents say Richins’ driver’s side door was stuck closed after the impact with the parked car, so the officer ordered him to stay where he was until additional officers arrived.
When other officers arrived on scene, the officer was able to hold Richins’ hands outside the car and reach in to unlock it, removing him from the passenger door and placing him in handcuffs.
Officers used a police K9 to conduct a free-air sniff of Richins’ car, resulting in a positive alert. The car was searched, and officers reportedly found:
- A “Zyn” container with a substance inside, that allegedly later tested positive for methamphetamine.
- A black handgun with a loaded magazine, but no bullets in the chamber.
- A glass pipe with burnt residue inside
- A straw with burnt reside inside
Richins reportedly told officers that he had “regained his right to own a handgun” but was not able to provide proof. Dispatch was asked to check, but they were also unable to find any evidence of this.
Richins was then transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center for a jail clearance and was booked into the Bonneville County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
He is expected to appear for a preliminary hearing on July 10. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison.
Though Richins has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.