Casper Man Pleads Guilty To Charges Stemming From Car Chase

A Casper man has admitted to stealing a vehicle, leading police on a destructive chase, eluding them and then throwing an object at another vehicle later.

William Kirkpatrick has pleaded guilty to one felony count of larceny, along with misdemeanor counts of leaving the scene of an accident, eluding, reckless endangering, and property destruction.

Investigators with the Casper Police Department say in late April, there was a report of a hit and run at the Loaf N' Jug Store at 15th and Centennial Court.

Police later spotted the suspected pickup truck and gave chase.

While being pursued, the driver, later determined to be Kirkpatrick, started to swerve into oncoming traffic appearing to attempt to strike multiple oncoming vehicles, then once he got into the downtown area, he drove onto the railroad tracks, going eastbound beside a moving train.

Officers say he later exited the tracks, crashed through several fences and gates, and continued to head back into oncoming traffic, showing no regard for the safety of citizens.

The chase ended when he crashed through a fence on Waterford Street, where he bailed and fled through a residential neighborhood.

It was later determined that the vehicle had been stolen.

The next morning, another officer spotted Kirkpatrick, but he managed to flee the area again.

Then later that night, a motorist reported that he had to slow down on McKinley Street for a male subject in the roadway, that appeared to be drunk.

It turned out to be Kirkpatrick, who threw a flashlight at the vehicle causing damage.

Officers found him again and took him into custody.

Police say he had slurred speech, smelled of alcohol and was unstable on his feet.

When interviewed, he denied his involvement in everything that he was accused of being involved in, and claimed he had reported that his vehicle had been stolen earlier, and at first, he could not remember which detective he reported it to, then later said he reported the incident to the FBI.

As part of a plea deal, prosecutors will seek no more than a three-to-five year prison sentence on the larceny charge, and no more than six months in prison on each of the four misdemeanor charges.

All sentences would run concurrent or at the same time.

Kirkpatrick must also pay restitution for all the damage he caused.

He is being held without bond, and will be sentenced at a later date.