Wyoming Men Arrested Following Wild Chase in Platte County
Two Wyoming men are in custody following a wild chase in Platte County, the Wyoming Highway Patrol says.
Sgt. Jeremy Beck says it all started around 4:30 p.m. yesterday, March 15, when a trooper tried to stop a car with an occupant who had an active warrant for kidnapping on U.S. 26 west of Guernsey.
Beck says the driver failed to stop, fleeing east into Guernsey before turning around and heading west.
"While troopers pursued the vehicle west on Highway 26, the driver attempted to drive into pursuing units and oncoming traffic," Beck said in a news release.
"Around Milepost 5 on US 26, a collision occurred between the suspect vehicle and a Wyoming Highway Patrol vehicle," Beck added. "The crash disabled the suspect's vehicle."
Beck says the occupants of the car, later identified as 26-year-old Joshua Taylor and 25-year-old Jeromie B. Ballinger, then fled on foot towards an adjacent farmhouse.
"Law enforcement chased the suspects ... but could not apprehend them before they gained access to a Ford F-250," said Beck.
"The suspects eluded law enforcement by fleeing in the Ford south through adjacent fields, driving off-road and out of sight," added Beck. "A perimeter was established in the area to locate the truck."
Beck says the abandoned pickup was located in a ravine shortly after 7 p.m., and Taylor and Ballinger were seen fleeing on foot toward Gray Rocks Road.
"Due to the adverse road conditions, local agencies provided off-road vehicles to help search the area for the suspects," said Beck.
Beck says Taylor was found hiding under tumbleweeds near the creek around 10:12 p.m. and Ballinger was found this morning near the Basin Electric Power Coop north of Wheatland.
"Taylor was booked into the Platte County Detention Center on the active felony warrant," said Beck. "Charges are pending on Ballinger."
When asked where in Wyoming Taylor and Ballinger are from, which one of them was driving, and whether any troopers were injured in the incident, Beck said, "It is still an ongoing investigation. I don't have that information at this time."