A Kila man led several law enforcement agencies on a chase that stretched from Whitefish to Eureka  on Friday.

Richard Boggess, 47, is now in custody after being apprehended in the Eureka area.

The drama began when Boggess first was reported by a pair of Whitefish residents shortly after 10 a.m.

According to Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry, Boggess approached a home on the northeast side of town with blood on his head and hands — “probably his,” Curry said — asking for gas and saying he didn't want any trouble with police. A deputy responded and found him driving down the road.

Boggess then fled, heading out of town on U.S. 93 toward Olney. Deputies, Whitefish police and at least one Montana Highway Patrol trooper and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officer chased him until breaking off the pursuit northwest of Whitefish.

Lincoln County deputies were sent to the county line to keep an eye out. About an hour later, the Fish, Wildlife and Parks officer — who had continued into Lincoln County — located Boggess.

At roughly 11:50 a.m., Eureka police officers reported they had located the vehicle and Boggess had fled on foot.

Boggess eventually was apprehended and transported to Kalispell Regional Medical Center, where Curry said Boggess was taken for a mental health evaluation.

“It sounds like there really wasn't any pursuit that occurred in Lincoln County but I don't know any of those details,” Curry said.

Lincoln County and Eureka officials did not return calls about the incident.

Curry said he was unsure whether Boggess would be booked into the Flathead County Detention Center. It's possible that he might be placed instead in a mental health facility.

Boggess is currently on probation after being given a five-year, suspended sentence to the Montana Department of Corrections in March after pleading guilty to felony criminal endangerment for pointing a rifle at a clerk at Kelly Rae's on Batavia Lane in December 2013.

The endangerment charge was reduced from felony assault with a weapon as part of a plea agreement that also included dismissal of a felony theft case in which he was accused of stealing a van and equipment from Murphy's Carpet Cleaning valued at about $15,000.

The suspended sentence was to run concurrent with another sentence in a Lewis and Clark County case.

Boggess also was convicted of felony theft in a 2002 case, for which he was initially sentenced to two years with the Montana Department of Corrections and three years of probation. A court document in that case also stated Boggess' criminal history included four prior felony convictions.

Friday's pursuit came just one day after 29-year-old Antonio Rodriguez of Kalispell was arrested for leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase for half an hour.

A document was filed Friday by the Flathead County Attorney's Office seeking a felony charge of criminal endangerment against Rodriguez, who is accused of driving his Jeep at more than 100 miles per hour during a segment of the chase on Montana 35.

Rodriguez had two passengers during much of the pursuit, and both reportedly told law enforcement that they were frightened during the pursuit. Rodriguez allegedly admitted intentionally eluding a state trooper. The chase started on Mennonite Church Road and ended in the Hillcrest subdivision north of Kalispell.

Rodriguez has an active criminal contempt warrant out of Kalispell Municipal Court.

He is currently incarcerated in the Flathead County Detention Center.

An arraignment hearing in his case has been scheduled for June 19.

Reporter Jesse Davis may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at jdavis@dailyinterlake.com.