Idaho Falls man arrested after kidnapping and high-speed chase incidents
Published at
IDAHO FALLS — A 54-year-old Idaho Falls man has been taken into custody after police say he beat a woman, held her against her will, and led law enforcement on a high-speed chase.
The Idaho Falls Police Department arrested a wanted man, Colby Heaton, Monday morning.
Woman says she was held captive and beaten
On Saturday, just before 5 p.m., a woman stopped a stranger in the 300 block of 14th Street. She said she had just escaped from Heaton and asked to use the person’s phone to call 911, according to a news release. Officers responded.
The victim told officers that Heaton had kept her in his home against her will starting on Wednesday. She told them that Heaton was schizophrenic, paranoid and not taking his medications.
The victim said Heaton believed she was having several affairs and was speaking to police through “hand signals.” He reportedly forced her to stay within view at all times.
She said that Heaton had multiple locks on the door. Between Wednesday and Saturday, Heaton allegedly beat the victim with his fists, a wooden dowel, a flashlight and a closed folding knife. She said Heaton also bit and headbutted her.
The victim told police she was able to escape when another person came to the home to pick up a tool.
When she got medical treatment, an examination found that she had a brain bleed, two black eyes, bruising in several areas of her body and possible broken bones in her hand.
Officers could not find Heaton at his home and had been searching for him since the incident.
High-speed chase
At 1 a.m. Monday morning, officers learned that Heaton had just left his home.
An officer found his black Dodge Charger on 1st Street. The officer attempted a traffic stop, but Heaton ignored the lights and began driving 100 miles per hour, the news release said. The officer stopped due to safety concerns.
Law enforcement found Heaton again driving north on Woodruff from 17th Street, and several officers tried to stop him.
Then, an officer performed a PIT maneuver near East 49th North, forcing Heaton’s car to spin and stop, the release said.
They asked him to get out of the car, but he would not.
“Officers eventually used a 40mm less lethal impact tool, shooting two rounds into the passenger window of the car. The first round broke the window. The second round struck Heaton in the arm,” the news release said.
He was then taken into custody. Heaton admitted to having just swallowed methamphetamine, police said.
Heaton was taken to a local hospital for jail clearance and then taken to the Bonneville County jail.
According to court records, he was charged with the following:
- Felony first-degree kidnapping
- Three counts of felony aggravated battery
- Felony domestic violence with traumatic injury
- Felony fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer
- Felony possession of a controlled substance
- Felony destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence
- Misdemeanor resisting or obstructing arrest