Armed man taken into custody following pursuit and standoff
Published at | Updated at
UPDATE
BINGHAM COUNTY — A 34-year-old man has been taken into custody after an incident that involved a pursuit with law enforcement.
The man has been identified as Jerad R. Contreras.
According to the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, after 9 a.m. on Wednesday, deputies were dispatched to a residence in the Pingree area for a report of an aggravated battery.
Contreras allegedly hit multiple people in the residence with a pistol that caused serious injuries, a news release said.
He reportedly left the area in a Ford Fusion before deputies arrived. Deputies and Idaho State Police troopers attempted to stop the vehicle but Contreras did not pull over.
Law enforcement from the Blackfoot/Bingham Joint Detective Division arrived to assist.
Spike strips were deployed and tires on the Ford Fusion were flattened. An attempt at a PIT maneuver was unsuccessful, the news release said, but the vehicle soon got stuck in a field in the area of 1600 West Hoff Road.
Contreras came out of the vehicle with a pistol in his hand and indicated he would take his life if law enforcement got any closer, the news release said. Attempts were made to speak with him but were unsuccessful.
The Bannock County Sheriff’s Office brought in a Bearcat, which is an armored vehicle utilized by the Southeastern Idaho Special Tactics and Response Team.
“Upon their arrival, a tactical approach with the armored vehicle was performed. The suspect then immediately surrendered the firearm as instructed,” the release said.
Contreras was taken into custody and transported to the Bingham County Jail with the following preliminary charges:
- (2) counts of Felony Kidnapping
- (2) counts of Felony Aggravated Battery
- (1) count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm
- (1) count of Felony Eluding
- (1) count of Resisting and Obstructing
“We would like to thank the Idaho State Police, Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, and our staff for bringing a stressful incident to a peaceful resolution,” the news release from Bingham County Sheriff’s Office said.
ORIGINAL STORY
BINGHAM COUNTY — Local law enforcement responded to a pursuit in Bingham County involving an armed suspect Wednesday morning.
It began after 9 a.m. The initial call was for an aggravated battery and law enforcement tried to locate the suspect, Bingham County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jordyn Nebeker tells EastIdahoNews.com.
“We got into a pursuit that has now come to a stop in a field. The vehicle is immobilized and we are just trying to peacefully resolve it,” Nebeker said. “We were able to deploy spikes pretty early on.”
The pursuit didn’t last very long, he added. It happened west of the Rockford and Pingree area.
Nebeker says the suspect is a 34-year-old man from the Bingham County area. His name has not been released.
Nebeker added that the situation is still trying to be resolved.
EastIdahoNews.com will update this story with more information as it becomes available.