Car chase ends in arrest
STAFF REPORT | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years AGO
COEUR d’ALENE — A man is being held on $250,000 bail after he allegedly led police on a high-speed chase that injured an officer and damaged five law enforcement vehicles.
Joseph A. Wilder, 30, of Post Falls, is charged with eluding, a felony, as well as driving under the influence and resisting and obstructing officers, all misdemeanors.
Police responded around 11 Sunday night to a report of a dark SUV driving dangerously.
Soon after, a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle was spotted leaving a Coeur d’Alene bar.
The driver, later identified as Wilder, allegedly drove off at a high rate of speed when police attempted to stop his vehicle.
A witness called in another sighting of Wilder’s vehicle, this time going the wrong way on U.S. 95.
Wilder allegedly fled again.
An Idaho State Police trooper reportedly located Wilder’s vehicle and pursued him into Coeur d’Alene city limits.
During the pursuit, Wilder’s vehicle allegedly hit the trooper’s vehicle, rendering the ISP vehicle inoperable and injuring the trooper.
Police said Wilder fled the scene of the crash in his own damaged vehicle.
Officers with the Coeur d’Alene Police Department took over the pursuit, with the help of the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.
Police chased Wilder onto I-90 westbound at U.S. 95.
As Wilder began to exit the freeway at Northwest Boulevard, police disabled his vehicle using a pursuit intervention technique (PIT).
A PIT maneuver is a technique used by law enforcement to force a vehicle to abruptly turn sideways, causing the driver to lose control and stop.
Wilder then fled on foot, according to police reports.
Police used a stun gun to subdue Wilder, who they said fought with officers, and then arrested him.
Wilder has reportedly been arrested in Idaho and other states for crimes including burglaries, firearm and vehicle thefts and eluding.
He was wanted on a warrant for eluding police at the time of Sunday’s chase, police said.
Four Coeur d’Alene Police Department vehicles were damaged during the chase, police said.
The injured ISP trooper was transported to a local hospital, where he was treated and released.
First District Judge Clark Peterson ordered Monday that Wilder be held on $250,000 bail.
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