California woman arrested after eluding Idaho officers and aggravated assault

The following is a news release from Idaho State Police. Photo: Canyon County Jail

Troopers with the Idaho State Police arrested Tamica L. Chapman, 34, of California, Tuesday afternoon after she repeatedly refused to stop for officers in two counties, then drove head-on toward those officers.

ISP Troopers were called to assist officers in Payette shortly after 1:30 p.m. when the driver of a Nissan sedan repeatedly failed to pull over. A citizen had called emergency dispatch reporting the driver as a possible DUI. The vehicle was reportedly driving well below posted speed limits, failed to maintain its lane and ran a red light on southbound Highway 95.

At some points, the Nissan was going slow enough to cause a back-up of dozens of other vehicles. Officers continued to try and stop the Nissan as it continued south on Highway 95 into Canyon County driving the wrong way down streets in Parma.

Over the two counties, multiple agencies coordinated tracking the Nissan including Payette, Fruitland, and Parma Police, the Canyon and Payette County Sheriff’s Offices and ISP.

Near the junction of Highway 95 and Highway 20, an ISP trooper used a pursuit intervention technique called a PIT maneuver in an attempt to safely stop the Nissan. After the maneuver, the trooper positioned his car to block the driver from leaving, but she continued head-on toward the patrol car, then swerved, and eventually drove toward several other patrol vehicles before a final PIT brought the vehicle to a stop.

After numerous commands to exit the vehicle, the female driver continued to refuse. She was finally taken into custody after an irritant powder was deployed.

Neither the driver of the Nissan nor the troopers or officers involved were injured.

Idaho State Police Troopers arrested the driver and booked her into the Canyon County Jail on eluding an officer, aggravated assault and resisting and obstructing officers.