HELENA — A high-speed chase ended on the Cedar Street overpass Sunday afternoon with a man being taken into custody. Accusations in the case include stealing a vehicle with a dog in it, attempted kidnapping, and a pursuit with speeds over 100 miles an hour.
"He had to be stopped, and ultimately, with those many crimes happening in a short time, we knew that this was paramount that we had to get him taken into custody, for the safety of the community,” Helena Police Department Lieutenant Adam Shanks told MTN.
(WATCH: High-speed chase suspect also accused of kidnapping and stealing a car)
Joseph Wayne Seymour, 43, made his initial appearance in Lewis and Clark County Justice Court on Monday afternoon. Prosecutors have charged the Helena resident with the felony counts of theft of a light vehicle, attempted burglary, kidnapping, criminal endangerment, and aggravated fleeing or eluding a peace officer. He was also charged with the misdemeanor counts of obstructing a peace officer, resisting arrest, criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving under the influence (second offense).
According to court documents, at 2:15 p.m. on Sunday, Helena Police was dispatched to the 1600 block of 11th Avenue (the area near the Dive Bakery and MT Glass Liquor) for a report of a stolen vehicle. The owner of the vehicle told the officer they had left their vehicle running because their dog was inside the car, and the dog was missing with the vehicle.
Around 15 minutes later, dispatch received a call from the 2200 Block of Airport Road (the area near the Helena College-Airport Campus) of a man trying to gain entry into a locked business. When officers arrived, an employee told officers the man left after the employee pushed the man away from the door and yelled for help.
Shortly after 3:00 p.m., dispatch received a report of an attempted kidnapping near the area of the railroad crossing on Carter Drive. A woman told officers that a man matching the description of the Airport Road incident approached her, driving a vehicle matching the description of the stolen car near the 1600 block of 11th Avenue. She told law enforcement that the man walked up to her, grabbed her, and told her to get in the vehicle. The woman managed to free herself, ran to the nearby busy street, called for help, and hid in a nearby ditch.
Around 3:50 p.m., officers located the stolen vehicle near the 3600 block of US Highway 12 (near the area of Broadwater Hotsprings). The driver allegedly fled from the officers and led them on a high-speed chase through Helena. Court documents say speeds were clocked at over 100 miles per hour. The pursuit continued into East Helena and then back to Helena.
A Montana Highway Patrol trooper conducted a successful pit maneuver on the Cedar Street interstate overpass, stopping the vehicle, and Seymour was taken into custody.
The dog that was in the stolen vehicle was found safe and returned to their owner.
HPD says in these high-stakes situations, having the support of other agencies to assist in responding is critical.
“Being able to rely on everyone like that and understand how we all operate and work is a huge thing. When it’s something as serious as this, that we all can respond together and make sure that the public is as safe as possible,” Shanks explained.
On Monday, Judge Mike Swingley set Seymour's bond at $75,000 for the charges connected to Sunday's events, although Swingley noted Seymour also had a $200,000 bond for an alleged probation violation. Seymour is scheduled to be arraigned in State District Court on Feb. 24.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with additional information about the case.
