3 Taken Into Custody Following Wild Chase in Southeast Wyoming

Three people, including a juvenile, were taken into custody Tuesday following a wild chase near Elk Mountain, the Wyoming Highway Patrol says.

Sgt. Jeremy Beck says it all started around 1:15 p.m. when a trooper tried to stop a speeding 2005 Chrysler 300 in a construction zone on Interstate 80 west of Elk Mountain and the driver started driving in the closed lane to evade them.

"The driver of the Chrysler fled from the trooper and exited into the Elk Mountain area," said Beck. "As troopers began to respond, the suspect vehicle's driver began to travel on dirt roads towards Medicine Bow Forest and elude the pursuing law enforcement."

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Beck says troopers, Carbon County Sheriff's deputies, and Bureau of Land Management rangers began to search for the car and, thanks to the help of local ranchers, were able to find it at a nearby ranch.

"A brief pursuit was initiated," said Beck. "The car became disabled due to the driver's actions a short time later, and two adult occupants and one juvenile occupant in the vehicle were taken into custody without further incident."

Beck says the occupants have been identified as 36-year-old Michael P. Romero, 36-year-old Diana B. Ray, and a 16-year-old juvenile, all from New Mexico.

"Romero and Ray were booked into the Carbon County Detention Center for felony possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl and misdemeanor possession of psilocybin mushrooms and marijuana," said Beck.

"Romero also had an active warrant out of New Mexico for failure to comply and received charges for eluding," Beck added.