Casper Man Pleads Not Guilty to Burglaries, Property Destruction

A Casper man on Friday pleaded not guilty in Natrona County District Court to 11 counts related to burglarizing four vehicles, stealing one, leading law enforcement on a chase through east Casper, and crashing his stolen car into a police car in late December.

Michael Odom entered the not guilty pleas during his arraignment before Judge Kerri Johnson.

Public defender Kurt Infanger asked Johnson to reduce Odom's $50,000 cash-only bond to a $25,000 cash or surety bond.

Assistant District Attorney Mike Schafer objected. Odom has a long criminal history including multiple felony convictions, and the bond is fair, Schafer said.

Johnson kept the bond at $50,000, but changed the terms to cash or surety. She also said Odom's trial date is set for May 11.

In January, Odom was bound over for trial and Assistant District Attorney Mike Blonigen said multiple felony convictions might warrant an enhancement of being a habitual criminal that could add at least 10 years of imprisonment on top of whatever sentence he receives if convicted.

Odom is charged with four counts of burglary, one count of theft, one count of aggravated fleeing, and two counts of property destruction -- all felonies. He also is charged with misdemeanor counts of interference with a peace officer, failure to stop and driving under the influence.

If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 77 years imprisonment.

The case started at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 26, when a Casper police officer saw a black Volvo traveling at a high rate of speed in east Casper and running through stop signs, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

At 7:33 p.m., the officer received a report of a stolen black Volvo.

The officer and other law enforcement joined the chase.

During the chase, the Volvo driven by Odom drove over a deep dip at Trigood and Texas streets, went airborne, landed on a patch of ice, spun out, and came face to face with the officer's police car.

Odom intentionally drove the Volvo into the police car, according to the affidavit.

He began running, jumped fences, ignored the officer's commands to show his hands, and the officer lost sight of him.

Other officers saw him run across Country Club Road, and two of them tackled him by a fence near St. Patrick's Catholic Church.

During an interview with police, Odom said he had an argument with his girlfriend, left her residence, and remembered being chased by police, but didn't remember anything about driving the Volvo.