Police: Suspect in traffic stop eats drugs, leads ‘slow-speed pursuit,’ flees into river
Ada County sheriff’s deputies say they arrested a man Thursday after he fled a traffic stop, hit another vehicle and tried to escape in the Boise River. The man also admitted to ingesting cocaine during the pursuit, the Sheriff’s Office said.
According to Ada County spokesperson Patrick Orr, deputies initially made the traffic stop at Gowen Road and Federal Way at around 11 a.m. The man, 33, was pulled over in his white Chevy truck for lane/signal violations, according to the Ada County sheriff’s blog.
A deputy found evidence of drugs in the vehicle 10 minutes into the traffic stop; the suspect proceeded to leave the scene and took deputies on what Orr deemed a “slow-speed pursuit,” during which he stopped at red lights and followed all traffic rules.
The man began driving erratically 10 minutes later and the immediate chase was called off, though deputies continued to follow at a distance.
The suspect then hit another vehicle at the ParkCenter and Park Boulevard intersection; he continued to drive on two flat tires, the Sheriff’s Office said, before abandoning his vehicle near Albertsons Stadium. He then jumped in the Boise River in an attempt to escape capture.
The suspect, who will be named when he is officially charged, was taken to the hospital. The Sheriff’s Office said he could be charged with felony counts of aggravated assault, eluding arrest and possession of a controlled substance.
This story was originally published January 17, 2019 at 1:09 PM.
