HELENA — A high-speed chase ended on the Cedar Street overpass on Sunday, February 8, 2026, with Joseph Wayne Semour of Helena taken into custody.
Seymour, 43 years old, made his initial appearance in Lewis & Clark County Justice Court on Monday. Prosecutors have charged him with felony counts of theft of a light vehicle, attempted burglary, kidnapping, criminal endangerment, and aggravated fleeing or eluding a peace officer. He was also charged with the misdemeanor counts of obstructing a peace officer, resisting arrest, criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving under the influence (second offense).
According to court documents, at 2:15 p.m. on Sunday, police officers were dispatched to the 1600 block of 11th Avenue (near the Dive Bakery and MT Glass Liquor) for a report of a stolen vehicle. The owner of the vehicle told the officer they had left their vehicle running because their dog was inside the car, and the dog was missing with the vehicle.
About 15 minutes later, dispatch received a call from the 2200 Block of Airport Road (near the Helena College-Airport Campus) of a man trying to get into a locked business. When officers arrived, an employee told officers the man left after the employee pushed the man away from the door and yelled for help.
Shortly after 3:00 p.m., dispatch received a report of an attempted kidnapping near the area of the railroad crossing on Carter Drive. A woman told officers that a man matching the description of the Airport Road incident approached her, driving a vehicle matching the description of the stolen car near the 1600 block of 11th Avenue. She told officers that the man walked up to her, grabbed her, and told her to get in the vehicle. The woman managed to free herself and then ran to the nearby busy street, called for help, and hid in a nearby ditch.
At about 3:50 p.m., officers found the stolen vehicle near the 3600 block of US Highway 12 (near Broadwater Hotsprings). The driver allegedly fled from the officers and led them on a high-speed chase through Helena.
Court documents say speeds were clocked at more than 100 miles per hour. The chase continued into East Helena and then back to Helena.
Montana Highway Patrol conducted a pit maneuver on the Cedar Street interstate overpass, stopping the vehicle, and Seymour was taken into custody.
The dog that was in the stolen vehicle was found safe and returned to their owner.
On Monday, the judge set his bond at $75,000 for the charges presented, although they also noted Seymour also had a $200,000 bond for an alleged probation violation.
Seymour is scheduled to be arraigned in State District Court on February 24.
