COLUMBUS - Columbus Police are searching for a suspect who led law enforcement on a high-speed chase early Tuesday morning on Interstate 90 in Stillwater and Yellowstone counties reaching speeds of 130 mph.
The incident began about 1:45 a.m. Tuesday when a Columbus police officer pulled over a 2000 Ford Mustang near the Town Pump near exit 408 of Interstate 90, Chief Gary Timm said in a news release.
As the officer approached the car on foot, the driver took off and headed west on I-90. He then went into the median at mile marker 405 and entered the eastbound lanes, according to Timm.
Columbus Police gave chase into Yellowstone County, where Laurel police successfully placed spike strips to slow down the vehicle, according to Timm.
The vehicle left the interstate at the East Laurel exit- about 30 miles away from the start of the chase- then continued north onto Laurel Airport Road. On the 6300 block of Bearpaw Drive, the driver jumped out of the moving vehicle and fled on foot. The Mustang crashed into a garage in the neighborhood.
A passenger, a 25-year-old woman, tried to run but was caught. She was released with no charges, according to Timm. The driver escaped by fleeing over several fences, Timm said.
Columbus police are still trying to find out who the driver was and why he was fleeing. The driver was not the registered owner of the vehicle, according to Timm.
Below the full news release:
On 6-7-22 at approximately 0145 hours a Columbus Police Officer attempted to make a traffic stop on a 2000 Ford Mustang near the Town Pump in Columbus. As the officer got out of his car and was approaching the vehicle, the vehicle sped away traveling west on I-90. At mile marker 405 the vehicle went into the median and continued back eastbound on I-90. The pursuit reached speeds of up to 130 mph. As the vehicle neared Laurel, Laurel PD units were successful on spiking the vehicle. Stillwater County Sheriff's Office and Columbus police followed the vehicle as it exited at the east Laurel exit. The vehicle continued north onto Laurel Airport Road, and then onto Bearpaw Drive where the driver jumped from the moving vehicle and fled on foot. The vehicle subsequently crashed into the garage of a residence in the 6300 block of Bearpaw Drive.
A 25 yr old female from Hardin attempted to flee but was caught by officers. The driver was able to escape by fleeing over several fences. Columbus Police are still investigating who the driver was and why he was fleeing from officers. The driver was not the registered owner of the vehicle.
The passenger was released without any charges.
Gary Timm
Chief of Police
