High-Speed Chase Through Casper Ended With Crashed Box Truck
An unidentified man was arrested and taken to the Wyoming Medical Center on Tuesday after a high-speed chase starting in north Casper and ending in a crash in south Casper on Garden Creek Road, according to a news release from the Natrona County Sheriff's Office.
The case started about 5 a.m. when the Casper Police Department received a call to help with a fire near Wilkins Circle and North Poplar Street.
The driver of a white box truck traveling the wrong way struck a responding police officer, fled the accident scene, and drove south on North Poplar Street while weaving through lanes and on-coming traffic.
The driver attempted to strike other vehicles including other responding police and Casper Fire-EMS Department vehicles, as well as citizen bystanders and drivers.
Most vehicles and people were able to avoid collisions with the truck.
At least one person's vehicle was struck in the area of 17th Street and South Poplar Street. It is unknown at this time if the person sustained any injuries.
Police units pursued the drive to South Poplar Street and Southwest Wyoming Boulevard.
Natrona County Sheriff’s Office then deputies joined the pursuit.
The driver continued driving south on South Poplar Street and onto Garden Creek Road.
A Casper Police officer stopped his vehicle at Garden Creek Road and South Rotary Park Road to deploy spike strips in an attempt to end the pursuit safely.
The driver struck the unoccupied police vehicle at a high rate of speed.
The box truck then left the road and crashed.
A half-hour later, law enforcement officers extracted the driver from the truck, and they were taken to the Wyoming Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
Some police officers sustained non-life threatening injuries, and one was taken to the hospital and has since been released.
This is a complex incident, involving multiple jurisdictions and agencies.
Due to the direct involvement of the Casper Police Department officers, the Sheriff’s Office is investigating this incident.
The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who witnessed the multi-agency pursuit, or anyone who was impacted by the driver of the box truck, to please contact its Investigations Division at (307) 235-9282 to make a report.
This investigation is ongoing and is still in the preliminary stages.
Information released by other sources cannot be verified by the Natrona County Sheriff’s Office at this time.
The Natrona County Sheriff’s Office is committed to preserving the peace of our county and ensuring it is a safe place to live, work, and visit.