Staff report

A driver and her passenger are in custody following a high-speed chase early Sunday morning that started in Pullman and ended in east Lewiston.

Jamie I. Westman, 40, of East Wenatchee, Wash., appeared before Judge Kent J. Merica in Nez Perce County Magistrate Court Monday and was charged with eluding a police officer, a felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, open container and resisting arrest, all misdemeanors. Her passenger, April E. Darling, 47, of Priest River, Idaho, was charged with resisting arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia and providing false information to a law enforcement officer.

The incident began at approximately 1:30 a.m. Sunday, when deputies with the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop a southbound vehicle for a speeding violation on U.S. Highway 195 just north of Pullman.

The driver of the vehicle, Westman, allegedly failed to pull over and continued into Pullman via Davis Way before turning southbound onto Grand Avenue, according to a Whitman County Sheriff’s Office news release. The vehicle continued traveling at a high rate of speed through town, at times in the opposite lane of travel, before again heading southbound on Highway 195.

Daily headlines, straight to your inboxRead it online first and stay up-to-date, delivered daily at 7 AM

Deputies continued to follow the vehicle from Pullman to the top of the Lewiston Hill in Idaho at speeds in excess of 100 mph. Authorities from the Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office took over the pursuit and used spike strips at the bottom of the hill, according to the news release.

Westman continued to drive several more miles on flat tires before finally stopping at the Clearwater Paper mill in east Lewiston.

Both women then exited the vehicle and allegedly led officers on a short foot pursuit before being taken into custody.

Westman was held on $5,000 bond and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing April 7. Darling was held on a $500 bond and has a preliminary hearing April 13.

Advertisement
Daily headlines, straight to your inboxRead it online first and stay up-to-date, delivered daily at 7 AM