Documents reveal additional details regarding chase that ended with man being tased
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POCATELLO — A man who fled arrest following a reported physical altercation nearly caused several crashes near the Bannock County Events Center Sunday night, police say.
Lamar Tissidimit, 39, faces felony charges for eluding police and driving under the influence within 15 years of a previous DUI conviction. He has also been charged with misdemeanors for domestic battery, violating a no-contact order, possession of drug paraphernalia, obstructing or delaying an officer, driving with an open container and a second or subsequent offense of driving without insurance.
Court records show that Tissidimit has been convicted of DUI twice in the past ten years. This is also his second eluding charge in that same period.
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Pocatello police were dispatched to a residence on Bench Road following reports of a domestic disturbance around 8:30 p.m. Sunday, according to an affidavit of probable cause. When officers arrived at the residence, the victim told them Tissidimit beat her and tried pulling her into his car. She said that Tissidimit tore her shirt as she struggled free.
The victim told police that Tissidimit left the area driving a white Chevrolet Cruze with no license plate and dark tinted windows.
Officers put out a call for the vehicle, which was spotted driving near the Portneuf Wellness Complex. The officer who spotted the Chevy stopped it near the intersection of Venture Way and Fairgrounds Road.
The officer spoke with the driver, Tissidimit, who was described as slurring his speech. The officer asked Tissidimit if he had been involved in a physical altercation.
Tissidimit denied being at the residence on Bench. When the officer asked additional questions, the affidavit says he rolled his window up and “sped away from the stop at a high rate of speed.”
Police reports show that Tissidimit was driving an estimated 80 mph down Olympus — which has a posted speed limit of 35 mph — while nearing colliding with “multiple civilian vehicles.” At one point, Tissidimit moved into the opposite lanes, driving toward oncoming traffic at the same high speeds.
After running a red light at the corner of Olympus Drive and Pocatello Creek Road, nearing causing another collision, Tissidimit took the onramp onto northbound Interstate 15.
While on I-15, Tissidimit was driving over 100 mph, the affidavit says. Idaho State Police joined the pursuit, unsuccessfully attempting to Tissidimit’s Chevy with a spike strip.
Eventually, officers were able to perform a PIT maneuver on the Chevy near I-15 exit 89, near Blackfoot.
Tissidimit refused to exit the disabled vehicle and was tased, the affidavit says. When officers pulled him from the vehicle, they noted that he had bloodshot eyes and smelled of alcohol.
Tissidimit provided a breath sample, but refused a second when the first test came back “insufficient.”
While preparing the Chevy for tow, officers found “multiple” opened alcohol containers inside.
Tissidimit was arrested and taken to the Pocatello Police Department, where the officer, after obtaining a warrant, drew his blood for testing. He was then taken to Bannock County Jail, where he was booked and is being held on a $50,000 bond and a no-contact order.
Though Tissidimit has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
If he is found guilty, Tissidimit could face up to 19 years in prison.
He is scheduled to appear in court before magistrate judge Carol Tippi Jarman for a preliminary hearing on July 10.