Police Arrest Man After Car Chase

A 25-year-old Silver Valley man was arrested Saturday night after a confrontation with police turned into a high-speed car chase.

John Westfall was booked on charges including burglary, kidnapping, felony eluding, obstructing officers and two counts of aggravated assault.

Shoshone County sheriff’s Deputy Bob Tillman said Westfall apparently beat his 26-year-old girlfriend Friday night. She called authorities Saturday and said he was coming over again. Tillman declined to release the woman’s name.

The deputy said that when he confronted Westfall and tried to arrest him for driving without a license, Westfall ran and broke down the woman’s door. Westfall allegedly grabbed the woman and used her as a shield between himself and the deputy.

Westfall threw the woman down, ran to his 1982 Toyota car and fled, almost hitting an officer heading toward the scene.

“He swerved into the path of my backup officer,” Tillman said Sunday. “It looked like he tried to hit him.”

After a pursuit at speeds of 70-80 mph, Westfall drove up a dead-end road on the west fork of Big Creek. He fled on foot. After an unsuccessful search with a police dog, deputies found Westfall at a nearby house.

Westbrook was not intoxicated, Tillman said. , DataTimes