Man suspected of being in six police chases and stealing five cars in one week

Authorities on Thursday arrested a 30-year-old man in northwestern Montana who allegedly was involved in six car chases in three states across the Inland Northwest over the previous week.

The U.S. Marshals Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force in Coeur d’Alene first found Jesse Spitzer, of Sultan, Washington, late Thursday evening in Kellogg, Idaho, and chased him to Haugan, Montana, 40 miles away, according to a U.S. Marshals Service news release. The release said Spitzer also stole at least five cars in the week leading up to his arrest and was involved in a foot chase.

He also was convicted in 2011 for shooting at law enforcement in Nevada and spent eight years in prison, the release said.

It said the U.S. Marshals task force began searching for Spitzer after he allegedly committed crimes in Idaho and threatened law enforcement officers with a firearm earlier last week.

Before officers were able to apprehend him in Kellogg, Spitzer reportedly jumped in a stolen vehicle from Montana, the release said. With the assistance of the Kellogg Police Department and the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office, officers began pursuing him. Spitzer allegedly fired shots at the Kellogg police officers and the Shoshone County deputies while fleeing into Montana.

The Idaho State Police and the Montana Highway Patrol joined the chase, the release said. Spitzer reportedly abandoned his stolen vehicle at the 50,000 Silver Dollar Inn in Haugan. The Mineral County Sheriff’s Office and the local area’s SWAT team found and arrested Spitzer hiding in a camper trailer near where he fled .

Spitzer was arrested on two warrants, said Michael Leigh, supervisor deputy at the U.S. Marshals Service in Coeur d’Alene. One was from Kootenai County for suspicion of aggravated assault, possession of a stolen vehicle and eluding. The other was from Chelan County, Washington, for suspicion of first-degree larceny burglary.

Leigh said additional charges from numerous other jurisdictions are pending.

Of the at least six vehicle pursuits in which Spitzer was allegedly involved, Leigh said two happened Tuesday in Kootenai County, another happened Thursday between Kellogg and Haugan, and the others happened in Washington.