News you can use

Police chase ends in flood ditch

Police and sheriff's deputies pursued a suspected stolen pickup this morning until the chase ended in a flood dike southeast of Havre, police said.

Adrian Makescoldweather, 32, of Great Falls was arrested at 9:26 a.m. today and was being held at the Hill County Detention Center. The charges were not available early this afternoon.

The incident began at 7:49 a.m., when an adult male called police saying his green and grey F-150 Montana edition Ford pickup had been stolen from in front of his residence in the 1000 block of Fifth Street, police said.

At 9 a.m., the Hill County Sheriff's Office received a call that a pickup on Saddle Butte Road was being driven erratically. The caller provided a license plate number, which belonged to the stolen pickup, police Lt. George Tate said.

Deputies Dottie Dwyer and James Dahl went out to the scene, and came across the vehicle about six miles south of Havre as it headed back toward town, according to the sheriff's department. When they tried to pull the vehicle over, the driver sped away.

The chase reached speeds of 70 mph, Tate said.

Near the Clear Creek Road intersection, the driver swerved off the left side of the road and the truck went through a barbed wire fence, Tate said.

City officers Jared Kuka and Cathy Huston were on the scene by that point. Kuka, who was in a police sport-utility vehicle, and Dahl, who was driving a pickup, could pursue cross country, Tate said.

The chase went over several fields and the pickup went through a total of three fences, Tate said.

The chase ended at 9:26 a.m. when Kuka and Dahl approached the truck on foot with their guns drawn. The driver attempted to speed away again but Kuka grabbed her arm and pulled her out the open pickup door, Tate said.

Both left side tires were of the pickup were blown, and 100 feet of barbed wire was strung around the right rearview mirror, with two 50 foot strands dragging behind.

 

Reader Comments(0)