OLDTOWN — A Spokane man who allegedly led a Bonner County sheriff’s deputy on a high-speed chase south of town has been returned to Idaho to face a felony eluding charge.

Richard Lee Smith was being held in Washington state on unspecified charges following the July 6 chase on Highway 41 and Tweedie Road north of Blanchard, according to court documents.

Smith, 34, made an initial appearance in Bonner County Magistrate Court on Monday via videoconferencing with the county jail. Minutes from the hearing was not immediately available on Monday.

A sheriff’s deputy spotted a Chevrolet Blazer and noticed it did not have any license plates affixed to it, according to a probable cause affidavit. Speeds reached up to 60 mph in a 35 mph zone and the pursuit transitioned on to Tweedie Road and progressed into Washington, the affidavit said.

Smith abruptly halted the pursuit about a mile after crossing the border and was arrested without incident, according to court documents. Smith said he bolted because he does not have a valid driver’s license and the sport utility vehicle he was driving was not registered, court records indicate.

In additional to the felony eluding charge, Smith is further charged with driving without privileges and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A preliminary hearing on the eluding charge is set for July 31 in magistrate court.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.