A 45-minute “low-speed” chase beginning in Palouse, Washington, ended a few miles north of Moscow, Idaho, with the help of spike strips and the tasing and arrest of the driver, Marvin Mead, 51, reported the Lewiston Tribune. The pursuit on Thursday afternoon involved officers from five law enforcement agencies.
Officer Joe Handley of the Palouse Police Department said he attempted to pull Mead over at 4:21 p.m. at the Palouse RV Park for allegedly driving without a license. Handley said he knew Mead did not have a license because he made contact with Mead earlier in the day for a trespassing/vagrancy call.
Handley said Mead pulled over but refused his commands to exit the 25-foot motorhome and speak to him. He said Mead then started the RV and drove away.
Handley said he discontinued the pursuit about a quarter-mile after entering U.S. Highway 95, where the Latah County Sheriff’s Office took over the chase once the motorhome crossed into Idaho. Handley said the vehicle never exceeded 50 mph.
Latah County Sheriff Richie Skiles said Mead drove onto U.S. 95 near Lewis Road, puncturing three of the vehicle’s four tires. Despite the damaged tires, Skiles said Mead continued at 7 to 12 mph for about another mile, then stopped on the highway near Estes Road. Although Mead was not driving at a high rate of speed, Skiles said spikes were set up because Mead was not yielding and refused to stop.
Whitman County Sheriff Brett Myers estimated the pursuit to be about 15 miles total.