High Speed Chase Ends with Man throwing Tire Iron at Police

49 year-old Patrick Cork is in the Missoula County Jail after leading police on a high speed chase through Missoula early Wednesday morning that finally ended near the University of Montana, after he allegedly assaulted a police officer and was eventually tased and arrested.

Captain Mike Colyer provided details of the chase and the arrest to KGVO News.

Colyer said the officer noted that Cork was on probation and was coming out of a bar at about 2:30 a.m. so he pulled the vehicle over.

“After he made contact with the driver he observed indicators of intoxication and that he knew he was on probation,” said Captain Colyer. “The probation officer requested a breath sample be administered to the male and when the officer asked the male to step out and participate in this investigation, he took off. The car accelerated to about 90 miles an hour westbound on Broadway and officers chased him from there.”

Colyer said the chase went from Broadway across town until the suspect drove near the University of Montana campus.

“The chase continued to various streets ultimately over towards the University of Montana campus,” he said. “On more than one occasion they used stop sticks. The car continued on rims and ultimately ended up around campus northbound across the Madison Street Bridge and out eastbound on East Broadway. Finally the car gave up due to the flat tires and the condition of the vehicle and then the male jumped out.”

Colyer said officers then pursued the suspect on foot on the icy street.

“As the officers chased him on foot, they could see he had some type of an object in his right hand and so another officer in his patrol car cut him off,” he said. “As he was exiting the patrol car he saw the male cock back what was later determined to be an 18 inch crowbar and threw it, so the officer tucked back in behind his car door. The crowbar hit the door but did not hit the officer.”

The suspect then continued to flee, and officers were forced to use a taser.

“So ultimately they used a taser device to apprehend him and he was taken in to custody,” he said. “There was a short struggle after the taser application. The officer who had the crowbar thrown at him was not injured, however another officer was injured. He fell on the slippery service as he was preparing to deploy a taser and he injured his back and his wrist, but he has been treated and released.”

Cork will appear in Missoula Justice Court on felony charges of assault on a peace officer, criminal endangerment, criminal possession of dangerous drugs and probation violation, as well as misdemeanor resisting arrest.