On Tuesday, July 19, at approximately 3:50 p.m., a Blaine County Sheriff’s deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 26 near Jodi Lane in Carey. The vehicle, a 2006 green Chrysler Town and Country minivan, failed to stop and began eluding officers.
During the pursuit, the Chrysler traveled southbound at speeds of 90-100 miles per hour in 65 mph zones, drove in the opposite lane of travel nearly missing head-on collisions with multiple other northbound vehicles, and drove 80 mph in a 35 mph one-lane construction zone, nearly missing construction workers.
It was determined that the Chrysler had been reported stolen out of Pocatello. The high-speed vehicle pursuit crossed the county line, continued through Richfield, and as it approached the city of Shoshone, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office took the lead.
The pursuit ended when the driver lost control, went airborne, and crashed into the driver’s side of a white 2009 Ford F-350 towing a livestock trailer, driven by Samuel Boyd Clark, age 31, of Rupert, at the railroad intersection of Highway 93 and Highway 75. The collision caused the Chrysler van to land on the driver’s side. Both vehicles sustained substantial damage. Clark was later transported by air ambulance to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise with serious injuries. Clark’s passenger was transported by ground ambulance to St. Luke’s Twin Falls Medical Center for medical treatment.
The driver of the stolen van, a 17-year-old juvenile male, was arrested and charged with felony Eluding a Peace Officer and felony Possession of a Stolen Vehicle. The juvenile male is in the custody of the Snake River Detention Center in Twin Falls pending arraignment. The 14-year-old juvenile female passenger of the stolen vehicle was treated by emergency personnel at the scene and transported by ground ambulance to St. Luke’s Twin Falls Medical Center. None of the occupants were wearing seatbelts. All lanes were completely blocked for four hours.