Shooting, chase suspect arrested, pursuit ends with no injuries
BRIAN WALKER/Staff writer | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 11 years, 11 months AGO
ATHOL - The suspect who allegedly shot at law enforcement at least twice during a high-speed chase in northern Kootenai County early Thursday was arrested later in the morning after an eight-hour manhunt.
Dillen James Endres, 22, Priest River, was arrested without incident less than a mile from where his white Ford sport utility vehicle crashed into a woodshed and went up in flames at the end of Good Hope Road east of Athol.
Kootenai County Sheriff's Office Lt. Stu Miller said Endres had somehow changed clothing from when he had fled on foot after the crash.
"(Responders) caught him walking near a house and they couldn't initially identify who he was because he'd changed his clothes," Miller said. "After talking to him, detectives and troopers thought, 'Hey, you're the guy we're looking for.'
"Our SWAT team had been going from house to house searching."
No one was injured during the ordeal. Miller said Endres didn't have a weapon when he was arrested around 8 a.m.
Two patrol cars were struck by bullets.
"The Spirit Lake Police car took a shot in the center of the windshield and a (KCSO) deputy's car took one on the bumper," Miller said.
The chase started around midnight when a Spirit Lake police officer attempted to stop Endres for a traffic violation. It reached speeds of nearly 100 mph eastbound on Highway 54. The KCSO and Idaho State Police were called to assist.
The deputy joined in the pursuit near Clagstone Road and Endres allegedly fired a gun at both law enforcement vehicles. The SUV Endres was driving was reported stolen in Lincoln County, Ore.
Miller said it's unclear where Endres changed clothes after the SUV crashed, but there was not a hostage situation inside a home.
"We're not sure where he got the different clothes on," Miller said. "All we know is that he had clothes on that didn't belong to him."
Fire destroyed the SUV, the woodshed it crashed into and about two cords of wood owned by an elderly couple, Miller said.
"The vehicle was burnt to a crisp," he said.
The crash was on Auten Road at the end of Good Hope in the vicinity of the traffic circle on Highway 54 near Farragut State Park.
During the search, the KCSO sent an alert to residents in the area asking them to lock their doors and stay inside their homes until Endres was found. Lakeland School District bus routes in the Athol area were postponed and the start of school at Athol Elementary was delayed. Multiple roads were closed during the search.
ISP Lt. Chris Schenck said Endres allegedly stole another vehicle after the SUV was destroyed.
No other details were released on Thursday, including the type of gun Endres allegedly used, whether it was recovered and if Endres ever came into contact with residents in the area. Schenk cited an ongoing investigation.
Endres was booked into the Kootenai County jail on charges of grand theft, driving without privileges and driving without insurance. He may face other charges. His first appearance will be today.
Endres is being held without bond on the grand theft charge. He has one prior adult booking in the local jail - for driving with an invalid driver's license in 2010.
Since a KCSO car was involved in the chase and was struck by a bullet, ISP took over the investigation.
Agencies involved in the search of Endres included ISP, the KCSO and its K-9 unit, Spokane County's Air1 helicopter and a multi-agency SWAT team.
Miller didn't know whether drugs or alcohol are believed to be a factor.
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