High speed car chase ends in man’s arrest
by PERRY BACKUS - Ravalli Republic
Christopher West won’t likely forget his 22nd birthday.
There’s a good chance that a couple of Montana Highway Patrol troopers and a bunch of Bitterroot drivers will remember it for a long time too.
The Florence man was apparently in a hurry to get to his birthday party Tuesday afternoon when he sped past Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Scott Bennett north of the Stevensville Wye.
Bennett’s radar clocked West’s older Toyota Supra at 81 mph in 70 mph zone while travelling south, according to a court affidavit.
When the trooper attempted to initiate a traffic stop, West accelerated and put enough distance in between his vehicle and the patrol car to pull off on a side road and lose the trooper for a few minutes.
Bennett turned around and headed north back through the construction zone near the Stevensville Wye. He spotted West’s vehicle again headed south. Bennett did a quick U-turn and turned on the siren and lights.
While most vehicles stopped, West continued at a slow speed through the construction zone.
Immediately after clearing the construction area, West punched the gas pedal and the chase was on.
Over the next four miles, West’s vehicle hit speeds in excess of 110 mph. His Toyota veered around traffic and some travelers were forced to take evasive maneuvers to avoid head-on collisions, the affidavit said.
West almost smashed into the side of a second trooper’s vehicle as it attempted to aid in the pursuit.
“He was weaving in and out of traffic on the two-lane road,” Bennett said Wednesday. “He was risking people’s lives.”
When West approached the Indian Prairie Loop road, West was forced to suddenly slow down because of approaching traffic. Bennett’s patrol car inadvertently hit the back of West’s vehicle, which caused it to crash into the ditch.
Moments later, West faced a pair of troopers with their pistols drawn.
“The whole event posed an extremely dangerous situation,” Bennett said. “When somebody runs from you like that, you have no idea why. For all you know, he may have just killed somebody. We arrested him at gunpoint.
“I think there were quite a few motorists who got quite an eyeful,” he said.
On Wednesday, West was arraigned in Ravalli County Justice Court on two felony charges of criminal endangerment and misdemeanor charges of fleeing from a police officer, driving a motor vehicle while privilege is suspended, no liability insurance, operating a vehicle not properly registered, and speeding.
West was released after posting a $100,000 bail.
“He was driving on fictitious license plates and he didn’t want to pull over,” Bennett said. “He tried to run from me. He didn’t want to go to jail. He wanted to get to his birthday party instead.”
Editor Perry Backus can be reached at 363-3300 or editor@ravallirepublic.com
Reader's Comments >>
Wizard Of Hamilton wrote on Oct 10, 2008 3:19 PM:
Elvis Presley's rockin' hit,
"Jailhouse Rock" in the klink,
on his birthday.
****Everybody in the whole cell block....Do the dance to the Jailhouse Rock**** "
tom burditt wrote on Oct 9, 2008 8:48 PM:
JetMech wrote on Oct 9, 2008 3:19 PM:
This makes it sound like an "accident", but no it isn't, its called the PIT (Precision Immobilization Technique) Maneuver and law enforcement is trained to clip the back side panel of a vehicle to cause the vehicle to go into the ditch. It's fine driving on the Trooper's part. Good job, Scott Bennett....and happy birthday Christopher West. How was your party, anyway? "
Laurie wrote on Oct 9, 2008 2:25 PM:
doe wrote on Oct 9, 2008 11:57 AM:
John Mills wrote on Oct 8, 2008 9:27 PM: