A 28-year-old California woman faces numerous charges after authorities say she led local Sheriff’s Office deputies on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle late Thursday night.
Hailey Lynn Casasanta, 28, of Big Bear City, California, has been charged with felony eluding and felony possession of a stolen vehicle as well as misdemeanor charges of malicious injury to property, reckless driving, resisting and obstructing, driving under the influence and driving without privileges, court records show.
The incident began to unfold around 11:47 p.m. Thursday when a Bannock County Sheriff’s Office deputy patrolling in the area of the Flags West Travel Center on Highway 40 near Downey observed a red Toyota Tacoma in the parking lot that matched the description of a stolen vehicle out of Utah that had just been involved with a high-speed pursuit with Franklin County Sheriff’s Office deputies, according to an incident report the Idaho State Journal obtained Monday.
A Bannock County Sheriff’s Office deputy told the Journal on Monday that Franklin County deputies discontinued the pursuit when the Tacoma entered Bannock County limits.
The responding Bannock County deputy attempted to block the Tacoma in, but the driver of the car, later identified as Casasanta, shouted a profanity at the officer and fled the area, nearly striking the Flags Travel Center building in the process, deputies said.
Casasanta fled west onto Highway 40 and then onto Treasure Lane, reaching speeds in excess of 70 mph, deputies said. Casasanta then fled south onto South Marsh Valley Road and then east onto Woodland Road, with deputies noting Casasanta was driving all over both sides of the roadway, deputies said.
On Woodland Road, Casasanta made a U-turn and almost struck the pursuing deputy, according to the report. Eventually, Casasanta made it onto the northbound lanes of Interstate 15 and then crossed the median onto the southbound lane of I-15, deputies said. Casasanta then drove back onto the northbound lanes but continued heading south against oncoming traffic, according to the incident report.
Casasanta completed another U-turn, and left the interstate at exit 31 near Downey before driving up over a berm, through a fence and into a field adjacent to Highway 40, deputies said.
The pursuing officer continued driving on Highway 40 and observed Casasanta driving through the field at about 40 mph when she struck another fence and then re-entered Highway 40, deputies said.
The officer noted the Tacoma became airborne when it came back onto Highway 40. Upon striking the ground, the vehicle stalled out, according to the report.
The pursuing deputy exited his patrol vehicle and ordered Casasanta out of the vehicle at gunpoint, though she eventually got the vehicle started again and drove back onto Highway 40 and into the parking lot of the Flags West Travel Center, deputies said.
Casasanta drove a few laps around the travel center and another sheriff’s office deputy joined in on the pursuit which headed back onto Highway 40 and then onto Interstate 15, according to the report.
At the exit 31 off ramp near Downey, the drive train of the Tacoma gave out and the vehicle came to a stop, resulting in both deputies ordering Casasanta out of the vehicle at gunpoint, deputies said.
One of the officers was able to pull Casasanta out of the car and arrest her without further incident, according to the report. While being searched, Casasanta admitted to using methamphetamine the day before the chase and stealing the Tacoma from a person in Utah.
She was then transported to the Bannock County Jail in Pocatello.
Casasanta appeared in front of 6th District Judge Steven Thomsen on Monday, during which her bond was set at $50,000.
Prosecutors will attempt to prove there is enough evidence against Casasanta to elevate the case from the magistrate to district court level for trial during a preliminary hearing set for Oct. 6.
If convicted of both felony charges filed against her, Casasanta faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
If convicted of the five misdemeanor charges filed against her, she faces over three years in jail and a fine of up to $4,300.