A Durango man was arrested late Monday on suspicion of stealing a woman’s car and leading police on a short chase before crashing the vehicle and fleeing on foot.
Police received the call shortly before 9 p.m. from a woman on Alamo Drive who said her white 1979 Chevrolet Blazer had just been stolen from the driveway, said Cmdr. Ray Shupe with the Durango Police Department.
An officer happened to be in the area and quickly spotted the Blazer in the west 100 block of 19th Street in west Durango. The vehicle sped away, blowing through at least two stop signs with the officer in pursuit, Shupe said. The vehicle crashed into a tree and three parked vehicles, including a white Yamaha motorcycle, gray Subaru station wagon and a gray Toyota Tacoma. Officers surrounded the vehicle, but the driver fled on foot.
The La Plata County Sheriff’s Office was in the area with a K9 unit, which assisted in locating the suspect, who was hiding in bushes, Shupe said.
The suspect was identified as Terry Wilson, 32, of Durango.
He was being held Tuesday on suspicion of felony motor vehicle theft, vehicular eluding, resisting arrest, criminal trespassing, reckless driving hit-and-run and driving on a revoked driver’s license. He was being held without bail on a parole violation. Police were not immediately sure why Wilson was on parole.
Keys to the Blazer were apparently left inside the vehicle, Shupe said.
“She was at home and she heard the vehicle start,” he said. “When she looked out, it was headed up Alamo Drive.”
Police are investigating whether Wilson may be connected to any other crimes in the area. He was in possession of items that had been stolen from other vehicles, Shupe said.
“It looks like he was on a little bit of a theft spree yesterday (Monday),” Shupe said. “It looks like we were able to return some property to other people who didn’t know it was missing yet.”
shane@durangoherald.com