Missoula Area News

Teens arrested following police chase in Missoula after allegedly stealing vehicles

Posted: Feb 5, 2013 8:42 PM by Mark Thorsell - MTN News

MISSOULA - Three teens have been arrested after allegedly stealing two vehicles and leading Missoula County Sheriff's deputies on an early morning chase across town.

Missoula County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jason Johnson says the three males, all in their late teens and already on probation, now face several charges, including theft of two motor vehicles and burglary.

The suspects took a 2005 Honda Minivan from a home near Strand and Reserve in Missoula, and crashed a short time later into a ditch on Blue Mountain Road.

The suspects then walked to a house near Blue Mountain Road and River Pines, went into a house and took several items, including credit cards and keys to a 1998 Jeep Wrangler that was parked in the garage.

Johnson says at one point one of the suspects entered an upstairs bedroom and saw a woman sleeping in bed.

The suspects then left in the Jeep, which woke the woman then called 911 just before 5:30 a.m.

Deputies spotted the stolen vehicle minutes later near Maclay's Bridge, and started chasing the suspects after they refused to pull over.

Johnson says the Missoula police and Sheriff's deputies took part in the chase, and a spike strip was setup near Tower Street and Spurgin Road, which deflated two tires on the suspect vehicle.

The chase lasted about eight minutes and ended near Fifth and Reserve streets, where Johnson says the suspect driver swerved into a county patrol vehicle, causing damage.

No one was injured during the incident.