The second car chase in a week started on US Highway 285 north of Crow Hill late Thursday afternoon, February 15th. According to Park County Sheriff Wegener, Deputy Nate Carrigan attempted to contact a Toyota SUV reported by another driver as a possible REDDI (Report Every Drunk Driver Immediately). The driver of the Toyota failed to stop in response to Carrigan's lights and siren.

In his second chase of the week, Sheriff Wegener joined the pursuit at Rosalie Road and pulled up beside the Toyota. Wegener was able to slow the driver down and pull ahead of the Toyota. The driver then rear-ended the Sheriff's vehicle, but was forced to stop. The driver refused to get out of his vehicle and wanted to know what the officers' problem was. Eventually, the window of the Toyota was broken to remove the driver from the vehicle.

The driver resisted Wegener and Carrigan's attempts to extricate him from the Toyota, punching the Sheriff in the jaw in the process. A civilian, seeing the struggle, stopped to assist and the three were able to remove and subdue the driver.

The driver, identified as 42-year-old Patrick Strawmatt of Wheat Ridge, was arrested on charges of felony second degree assault on a peace officer, felony vehicular eluding, resisting arrest, and a misdemeanor warrant out of Arvada.

Damage to the Sheriff's Durango is estimated at $2,600.00. Sheriff Wegener reports that his jaw is fine now.

See Driver Attempts to Dodge Sheriff for February 12th chase story.