COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — A Post Falls man was arrested on several felony charges Sunday after he led police on a high-speed chase in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
Joseph A. Wilder, of Post Falls, Idaho, was arrested for eluding, driving under the Influence and resisting and obstructing officers, police said.
On Oct. 18, at about 11 p.m., officers received a tip of a dark SUV driving all over the roadway. The vehicle was later located leaving a bar in Coeur d’Alene. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, it fled at a high speed.
Police receive a second report of the same car traveling the wrong direction on Highway 95, south of Coeur d’Alene. Kootenai County sheriff’s deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, but it fled again at a high speed towards Coeur d’Alene.
An Idaho State Police Trooper located Wilder's vehicle and began pursuing him. During the pursuit, Wilder's car struck the trooper’s vehicle, leaving the trooper injured. Wilder fled the scene.
Coeur d’Alene police officers and Kootenai County sheriff’s office deputies started to pursue the SUV at the I-90 westbound at Highway 95.The SUV was damaged and moving at a low speed.
Officers disabled Wilder’s vehicle at Northwest Blvd. before he fled on foot and began to fight with officers. Officers used a taser and after a short struggle, Wilder was taken into custody.
Five Coeur d’Alene and Idaho police vehicles were damaged during the pursuit.
Wilder has past criminal history with an active warrant for eluding police. According to a police report, he has been previously arrested in Idaho and other states for multiple burglaries, firearm theft, vehicle theft, eluding law enforcement, obstructing officers and probation and parole violations.
