A chase through Midtown Missoula ended in a brief standoff at a busy intersection on Tuesday afternoon when the driver refused to pull over for police.
Missoula Police Lieutenant Eddie Mclean told MTN News that at around 1:30 p.m. an officer attempted to pull over a silver Audi for expired plates. The car also matched the description of one associated with a series of thefts.
Instead of pulling over, the driver took off eastbound down 14th Street, later hitting speeds of up to 60 mph on Russell Street. The driver eventually came to a stop near the intersection of Brooks and Fairview where he sat in the car and refused to comply with officer demands to exit.
As armed officers surrounded the scene, a police negotiator worked for about 30 minutes to convince the driver to turn off the car, toss the keys out and surrender to the group of officers.
The suspect in the case -- 25-year-old Casey Deschamps -- was eventually taken into custody without incident and initially faces charges of criminal endangerment.
No injuries have been reported.
(first report)
A suspect in a high-speed pursuit was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon after a chase with law enforcement on a busy Missoula street.
A section of Brooks street in Missoula was closed Tuesday afternoon for a high-speed pursuit stop.
There are still several Missoula police and Montana Highway Patrol vehicles in the area of Brooks Street and Fairview near the Missoula County Fairgrounds.
Just before 2 p.m. the suspect surrendered and was taken into custody.
We will have more information on this developing story as it becomes available.
- information from Melissa Rafferty and Mark Thorsell included in this report
