NEW TODAY: Tuesday, Oct. 22

1. Police: After fleeing officer, man crashes into Kellogg patrol vehicle

A Colorado man was arrested after police said he fled from them and damaged a police vehicle. 

Around 3 a.m. Saturday, an officer reported that a pickup truck with faded Colorado license plates had been parked at a fuel pump for about an hour on the 100 block of Hill Street. 

Since it was after business hours and the vehicle had been stopped, the officer spoke to a man he found sleeping in the vehicle, who allegedly gave the fictitious name of Jack B. Hawk. 

Police say the vehicle had false plates, and they determined it was registered to Riley Alexander Basefsky. 

As the officer was contacting dispatch, police allege that Basefsky started his truck and drove away. The officer pursued.

Basefsky continued onto Cameron Avenue where his vehicle ran over a curb and knocked over a tree, according to police reports. The truck later lost control at the intersection of West Mission Avenue and Helena Street when it drove up and appeared to collide with another tree, police said.  

When the vehicle came to a stop, the officer pulled his police car behind the truck to keep it from leaving, according to police records.

The pickup then allegedly accelerated into the police car, damaging it, before striking a fence and reentering the road, eventually turning onto the Interstate 90 ramp, police records say. 

2. Early voting underway through Nov. 1

Early voting for the Nov. 5 General Election is underway across the state for Idaho counties that offer early voting.

Early voting goes through Friday, Nov. 1. Any eligible resident of a county can vote at any early voting location within that county, a Secretary of State press release said.

3. Kootenai County gas prices dip under $3 at some stations

The average price for a gallon of regular in the Gem State is $3.41, which is 3 cents less than a week ago, 14 cents less than a month ago and 54 cents less than a year ago, AAA said Monday.

Meanwhile, the national average sits at $3.18 per gallon, with about half of the country’s pumps selling regular gas below the $3 mark. That's 2 cents cheaper than a week ago, 4 cents cheaper than a month ago and 37 cents cheaper than a year ago.

Idaho ranks eighth in the country for most expensive fuel behind California ($4.64), Hawaii ($4.58), Washington ($4.07), Nevada ($3.87), Oregon ($3.66), Alaska ($3.62) and Utah ($3.44). Forty-four of the 50 states saw pump prices fall this week.

4. Permits to cut down Christmas trees available

The Idaho Panhandle National Forests on Monday said Christmas tree-cutting permits are available at ranger stations and at recreation.gov. 

Each permit costs $5 and allows the holder to cut one tree 12 feet or less in height, leaving a maximum 6-inch-tall stump. 

“Cutting your own Christmas tree is a long tradition for many families in the Inland Northwest,” said Aspen Greene, administrative clerk for the IPNF. “But we particularly enjoy seeing people come in to get a permit for the first time."