Man arrested on 16 charges after 100-mph chase with Kersey police ends with spike strips, crash into power pole

Apr. 7--An Evans man is accused of leading a Kersey police officer on a chase at speeds of more than 100 mph before LaSalle police deployed a spike strip and the man crashed into a power pole, causing a bright blue flash.

About 9:40 p.m. March 12, the Kersey officer was monitoring traffic in the 26000 block of Weld County Road 49. He tracked a driver, later identified as 21-year-old Miguel Ortega Loera, driving 88 mph in a 45 mph zone, according to an affidavit for Ortega's arrest.

The officer began to follow with his emergency lights and siren activated, and the driver sped up to get away. The officer said Ortega was passing cars in the median and weaving into other lanes of southbound traffic at speeds higher than 100 mph.

As the two neared Weld 44, Ortega began to slow down as if he were about to pull over, according to the affidavit, but he sped off again in an effort to get away. He made a left turn at Weld 42, and the officer disengaged because of the lack of visibility due to dust getting kicked up by Ortega's pickup truck.

While driving north through the intersection of Weld roads 44 and 53, the officer found Ortega driving at a high rate of speed west on Weld 44, the affidavit states. The officer turned around and continued the chase west on Weld 44 at speeds of up to 90 mph, then 100 mph after passing the intersection with Weld 45.

LaSalle police offered to deploy spike strips as the chase continued.

Ortega continued north on Weld 43 before taking another turn to go west on Weld 50. He continued driving at high rates of speed, even after entering residential neighborhoods in LaSalle. The officer slowed down, but maintained visual contact with the vehicle.

When Ortega reached the area of Todd Avenue and Main Street, his vehicle slowed down very quickly. LaSalle police confirmed Ortega struck a spike strip, but said his truck was dragging the strip. The Kersey officer continued to follow Ortega south on Main Street, before continuing the high-speed chase on Weld 39.

Two other police cruisers joined the chase, and one officer struck a piece of the spike strip, giving him a flat tire and causing about $400 in damages.

Before approaching the intersection with Weld 46, the Kersey officer saw Ortega's truck crash into a power pole, causing a bright blue flash. Damages to the pole were estimated to cost about $8,000.

The officer couldn't see where Ortega went, so he parked and began to look on foot. The officer found the truck with heavy damage and multiple airbags deployed in a ditch next to Weld 46. Ortega had left the vehicle, and no one else was inside.

Attempts were made to set up a perimeter and deploy a K-9 to track Ortega, but he wasn't found.

Police said they found an empty beer can and four open bottles of liquor in the vehicle. One of the liquor bottles was nearly empty. The registration stickers were expired, and no proof of insurance could be located, according to the affidavit.

Evans police arrested Ortega the following day after he called to report his mother's truck was stolen. During the investigation, he admitted he was driving the truck and left the scene of the crash, according to police.

Ortega was arrested on 16 charges including speeding, reckless driving, vehicular eluding, driving with a revoked license-habitual traffic offender, expired plates, driving uninsured, leaving a crash scene after striking property, failing to notify police of a crash, abandoning the vehicle, four counts of open alcohol containers, criminal mischief, obstruction and driving under the influence.

He has an advisement hearing 9 a.m. May 13 in Weld District Court.

-- Trevor Reid covers public safety issues for the Greeley Tribune. Connect with Trevor at (970) 392-4492, [email protected] or on Twitter, @treid71.

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