Justin Phillips Arrested In Connection To Highway Vehicle Chase

A Gillette man is accused of leading law enforcement officials on a highway vehicle chase, after stealing gas from a Midwest station.

Forty-one year-old Justin Phillips has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges, of petty larceny, reckless driving, reckless endangerment, driving under suspension, no insurance, and two counts of eluding.

According to prosecutors, on Monday afternoon December 17th, Phillips drove off without paying at a gas station in Midwest.

Law Enforcement officials pursued on Highway 259 towards Casper, but had to terminate the pursuit, after Phillips used the shoulder on the other side of the highway to get around traffic.

He was spotted again later on I-25 near Casper, but then made a U-turn in the median to avoid spike strips.

While headed north-bound, Phillips swerved towards one sheriff's vehicle and towards the Midwest Police Chief who was attempting to deploy a second set of spikes.

A Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper was able to spike Phillips' vehicle near Midwest, which then went into a ditch, and through a fence, before it became disabled.

Phillips tried to flee on foot, but was captured a short time later.

He is being held on $5,000 bond awaiting trial.