Fleeing vehicle stopped after police deploy ‘spike strips’
BY TERRY SMITH
A 62-year-old California man was arrested late Friday afternoon following a police pursuit that started in Custer County and ended in downtown Ketchum.
The suspect, Peter M. Constantine, of Oakley, Calif., was formally charged Monday in Custer County with two felonies, fleeing or eluding police in a vehicle and aggravated assault. The assault charge alleges that Constantine, by fleeing in a vehicle, provided a threat with the vehicle to police and to the public. Bond was set at $250,000.
The pursuit started in Custer County when Constantine allegedly fled in a silver 2008 Chevrolet Corvette after being pulled over by a Custer County sheriff’s deputy for suspicion of reckless driving. The pursuit ended around 6 p.m. on Main Street in Ketchum near its intersection with Fourth Street.
Blaine County Sheriff Gene Ramsey said his office was notified of the situation by Custer County officials when the fleeing vehicle was approaching Galena Summit from the north. He said his deputies installed “spike strips” on the road on the south side of Galena, but the driver partially avoided the strips and only punctured the right passenger tire.
Ramsey explained that the spike strips force a hollow tube into a tire that provides a gradual release of air, avoiding a blowout and a possible crash. Nonetheless, with a tire going flat, Ramsey said the vehicle continued southbound at speeds ranging from 18 miles per hour to 75 mph, with an average speed of about 45 mph.
Ramsey said his deputies “backed off” when the vehicle began approaching Ketchum and deployed additional spike strips on the highway near its intersection with Adams Gulch Road. Those spikes, the sheriff said, put holes in the rest of the tires on the vehicle but that it continued southbound and came into the city.
Finally, Ramsey said, a Custer County deputy was able to get in front of the vehicle, forcing it stop near the highway intersection with Fourth Street. Once stopped, Ramsey said police drew guns and ordered the suspect out of the vehicle. He explained that guns were drawn as a safety precaution to police, who at that time did not know if the man was armed and why he was fleeing.
Constantine surrendered without further incident, was placed in handcuffs and transported to the Blaine County jail. He was kept there Friday night and picked up by Custer County officials on Saturday morning.
The 2008 Corvette, with all tires flat, was removed from the highway by a tow truck.
Ketchum and Sun Valley police also assisted with apprehension of the suspect.