Deputies in Oregon arrested a Vancouver man who they said led multiple police agencies on a chase that began in Astoria, Ore., early Friday morning.
Washington County sheriff’s deputies responded at 2:28 a.m. to a request for assistance from the Astoria Police Department in locating a driver who sped away from a traffic stop, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
Astoria police had tried to pull over the driver of a 2004 BMW for a traffic violation. The driver, later identified by police as Joshua Scheetz, 30, did not stop and sped away toward Warrenton, Ore. Police there said they observed the car driving recklessly at 120 mph. It was last seen headed east on Highway 26 south of Seaside, Ore., the news release states.
Washington County deputies later saw the BMW near the intersection of Highways 26 and 47. When deputies got behind the car, Scheetz again sped away, the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies ahead of the BMW used spike strips to slow down the car. Scheetz continued to drive the car on flat tires into Banks, Ore., according to the news release. Deputies eventually used a pursuit intervention technique, or PIT maneuver, on the car before pinning it between patrol vehicles.
The sheriff’s office said Scheetz then began ingesting a powdered substance that deputies believed was fentanyl and drinking Mountain Dew to wash it down.
Medical personnel took Scheetz to an area hospital by ambulance.
Once Scheetz was released from the hospital, deputies booked him into the Washington County Jail on suspicion of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, felon in possession of a restricted weapon, reckless driving, a municipal warrant out of Beaverton, Ore., two counts of recklessly endangering another person and two Clark County warrants.
One passenger in the BMW, identified as Savannah Lalonde, 30, was booked into the jail on a Skamania County warrant. A second passenger was released at the scene, the sheriff’s office said.
