MISSOULA — A high-speed car chase through midtown Missoula ended up in a brief standoff at a busy intersection on Tuesday afternoon when the driver refused to pull over for police.
Missoula Police Lieutenant Eddie Mclean told MTN News that at around 1:30 p.m. an officer attempted to pull over a silver Audi for expired plates. The car also matched the description of one associated with a series of thefts.
Instead of pulling over, the driver took down 14th Street, later hitting speeds of up to 60 miles per hour on Russell Street.
The driver - later identified as 25-year old Casey Deschamps - eventually came to a stop near the intersection of Brooks and Fairview where he sat in the car and refused to comply with officer demands to get out.
As armed officers surrounded the scene, a police negotiator worked for about 30 minutes to convince the driver to turn off the car, toss the keys out, and surrender.
Deschamps was eventually taken into custody without incident and initially faces charges of criminal endangerment.
There were no injuries.
(1st REPORT) A suspect was arrested on Tuesday following a high-speed chase with law enforcement on a busy Missoula street.
A section of Brooks street in Missoula was closed Tuesday for the high-speed pursuit stop.
There are still several Missoula police and Montana Highway Patrol vehicles in the area of Brooks Street and Fairview near the Missoula Fairgrounds.
Just before 2 p.m., the suspect was taken into custody.
The name of the suspect has not yet been released.
At this point, authorities have not disclosed what prompted the chase.
We will update you if we get more information.
