Law Enforcement

ISP Troopers Nab 160 mph Evaders

In what appears to be a series of “hare and hound” chases with speeds exceeding 160 mph over the past couple of months, Idaho State Police troopers finally nabbed a couple of alleged speed demons Monday and got a third guy with drugs while serving warrants on the other two. The rabbits are in the hutch.
Idaho State Police shield on the door of a patrol car in Boise, Idaho, USA.
Here is the official ISP account:

On October 26, 2015 at approximately 3:00 p.m., Idaho State Police served arrest warrants on two men that led Idaho State Police and other area law enforcement on a series of dangerous traffic incidents involving speeds of up to 160 mph along I-84 and adjacent roads over the course of the past two months.

Troopers and ISP detectives served arrest warrants for felony eluding officers on both Russell Shayne West, 27 of Nampa and Lance Gordon Ocampo, 29 of Boise in a residence on the 1800 block of Broxon Street in Boise. Isaias Valdez, 29 of Notus was also arrested at the residence for possession of a controlled substance, resisting or obstructing officers and possession of drug paraphernalia, all misdemeanors.

The charges for eluding officers stem from at least seven incidents where troopers or other area law enforcement attempted to stop the rider of a 2004 Yamaha R6 motorcycle with an obscured license plate for driving at speeds of over 100 mph on each occasion on I-84 in Boise, Meridian and Nampa. Each time the rider, later identified as West, failed to stop for officers and pursuits were either not initiated or were called off due to concerns for the safety of the motorcyclist, the officers and the public.

The latest incident occurred on October 20, 2015 when an ISP motorcycle trooper attempted to stop West, who was riding alongside another motorcycle rider, later identified as Ocampo, after observing both men weaving through traffic at excessive speeds on I-84 and Overland and Meridian Roads in Meridian. Each time troopers attempted to stop West they were able to gather more information that eventually led to his identification and arrest.

All three men were booked into the Ada County Jail. The investigation of this case continues and more charges are possible.

Idaho State Police would like to thank those motorists who reported to police the dangerous driving engaged in by West and Ocampo.

Comments & Discussion

Comments are closed for this post.

  1. In related news, ISP could care less about the muffler law.

    EDITOR NOTE–If motorcycles get much faster they could “break the sound barrier.”

  2. Wait a minute. So the police stopped their chase, didn’t endanger the general public, and then LATER apprehended the criminals?
    AMAZING!

    Now if we can apply the concept to footchases, they wouldn’t endanger the police, the public, and the perp.

    The new police motto should be “To Serve and To De-escalate- All the Time”

  3. De-escalate is not in LE’s vocabulary. Escalate sure is though.

    EDITOR NOTE–Rick, you are wrong on this one. The story is about de-escalation (they discontinued the chase on several occasions, and finally got a warrant).

  4. Dave I commend them on this one and you are correct. Unfortunately 90% of the time a cop will escalate if for no reason than to enhance the charges. On that there is no doubt.

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