VIDEO: Slow-speed pursuit ends with one in custody

PINEHURST — A California man was taken into custody Wednesday night after leading law enforcement on a slow-speed pursuit down Interstate-90 in a stolen UTV.

Nat Bush, owner of the side-by-side, explained to the News-Press that the vehicle was stolen around 5:15 p.m. from his mother’s property located roughly five miles north of Blue Creek Bay.

His mother, who at the time was using the UTV to collect firewood, was the first person to notice the suspect.

“He comes walking out of the woods...and tries to start an old broken down car we’ve had for years,” Bush said. “Then he goes to an old broken down golf cart and she realized right then that he was up to no good.”

Fearing for her safety, she abandoned the UTV and locked herself in her home, then called a neighbor for help. By the time the neighbor arrived, the UTV was gone.

Idaho State Police states that the stolen UTV resurfaced not long after it was reported stolen when Troopers spotted it traveling on eastbound I-90 near milepost 32. As the chase developed from there, involved vehicles were reportedly traveling at speeds exceeding 45 mph.

When the suspect crossed County lines, personnel with the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office, Osburn Police Department, and Pinehurst Police Department would join in on the pursuit.

Around the Kingston area, an Osburn officer successfully deployed a spike strip and punctured the UTV’s tires- grinding the already slow chase down to an even slower one.

With the pursuit now occurring at a calm 10-15 mph, law enforcement was successful in boxing out the overworked UTV around MP 46 and were able to take the suspect into custody without incident around 6:30 p.m. Upon his arrest, the suspect was showing signs of mental instability and was taken to Shoshone Medical Center for an undisclosed reason.

Due to the slow speeds of the pursuit, eastbound traffic was also slowed for a brief time.

Bush, who had given the side-by-side to his mother for Mother’s Day, was happy to have the vehicle returned.

“I was sure it was gone forever! I’m thankful that they caught him. It was some good police work!”

Thursday morning Shoshone County Jail bookings identify the suspect as David Alexander Samarand, 30, of San Diego, Cali. Samarand's bookings charges include eluding an officer, driving without privileges, and possession of a stolen vehicle. It was also discovered that he has an active felony warrant out of California.