Wyoming Trooper Injured, Man Arrested After High-Speed Chase
A Montana man was arrested and a state trooper was released from the hospital Tuesday after the man led law enforcement on a 50-mile chase through two counties in a reportedly stolen vehicle.
Jonathan Wayne Hankinson, 32, of Laurel, Mont., was arrested and charged with possession of stolen property, aggravated assault on a peace officer, fleeing and eluding, and reckless endangering, according to a news release from Wyoming Highway Patrol Sgt. Duane Ellis.
Ellis says that shortly before 3:20 p.m. Tuesday, someone on Interstate 25 called the Highway Patrol and said a silver sedan had passed them on the right shoulder at a speed of roughly 100 mph. The caller said the car was northbound on I-25 near mile post 40 in Laramie County.
A little while later, a state trooper in Platte County allegedly saw a car matching that description passing cars on the right shoulder at a high rate of speed near mile post 75. The trooper tried to stop the car -- a silver Subaru -- but the car didn't pull over, so the trooper gave chase.
Hankinson, who was reportedly the driver and lone occupant of the Subaru, drove off at speeds of over 120 mph, according to the news release.
Officers reportedly tried to use spike strips multiple times during the pursuit. One spike strip was deployed successfully.
Hankinson allegedly tried to cause crashes with other cars, including law enforcement vehicles.
Ellis says that at one point, Hankinson hit a WYDOT snow plow.
Troopers ended up using their vehicles to disable the Subaru, according to the news release. The Subaru has been listed as stolen out of Albuquerque, N.M., Ellis says.
Hankinson was reportedly taken to Memorial Hospital of Converse County to be checked out. He was released and booked into the Converse County Jail.
A search warrant has been sought for the Subaru, Ellis says.
One trooper, who was not identified, was treated and released with minor injuries suffered from the pursuit and apprehension of Hankinson, according to the news release.
Two Highway Patrol vehicles and one Converse County vehicle were reportedly damaged during the pursuit.