Man crashes into Blackfoot canal during high-speed chase
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BLACKFOOT — A Pocatello man is accused of fleeing from police officers in a stolen car before crashing into a canal on Tuesday.
Ronald Ray Hymas, 29, allegedly eluded pursuing police driving over at 100 mph, according to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by EastIdahoNews.com. Hymas is charged with felony eluding police and felony grand theft.
A Bingham County Sheriff’s deputy spotted a stolen 2012 Silver Hyundai Tucson exiting Interstate 15 near Blackfoot around 9 a.m. The deputy tried to pull over the Tucson driven by Hymas, according to court documents.
Multiple law enforcement officers in the area tried to catch up to Hymas before he eventually drove toward U.S. Highway 91. A Blackfoot police officer radioed that Hymas had tried jumping the canal in the Tuscon.
Officers found the SUV in the canal, where they placed Hymas into custody. A woman exited the SUV and stood along the canal bank. Court documents did not indicate if anyone was hurt in the crash.
If found guilty, Hymas faces up to five years in prison for the eluding charge. For felony grand theft, he faces between one and 14 years in prison.
A preliminary hearing for Hymas is scheduled for April 22. He remains in the Bingham County Jail.
Although Hymas has been accused of a crime, it does not necessarily mean he committed it. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.