Teen killed during high-speed chase

A 16-year-old DeSmet, Idaho, driver was killed Tuesday evening during a high-speed chase on U.S. Highway 95 in Benewah County.

An Idaho State Police corporal patrolling the southern part of the county about 7:25 p.m. saw Ethan Horlacher approaching at a high rate of speed, Capt. Clark Rollins said. When the officer pulled over, Horlacher raced past.

Rollins said Cpl. Ronald Sutton signaled Horlacher to pull over, and he initially complied but then took off again.

“We didn’t know if we had someone wanted on warrants or a DUI,” Rollins said. It was dark, and Sutton could not see inside the car.

About two minutes later, Sutton came upon Horlacher’s crashed 1997 Honda Civic. The young driver wasn’t wearing a seat belt and had been thrown from the car, Rollins said. The teen died in the crash.

State police are still working on the investigation and have no firm estimates on the speed Horlacher was driving. Toxicology results are pending, said Rollins, who noted such tests are routine in fatal crashes like this.

Rollins said Horlacher was involved in a similar incident in March, when he sped away from state police. In that instance, the officer later found Horlacher and cited him.

Rollins said he wished Horlacher had learned from that incident, pulled over and taken the ticket this time.

“It’s a horrific and unfortunate event,” Rollins said. “My heart goes out to the family.”